Colombo, Joe

Joe Colombo’s distinctive and influential body of work reveals his fascination with futuristic forms in the context of industrial design. Born in Milan in 1930, Colombo’s interests evolved from painting and sculpture to architecture. By the 1960’s, he was experimenting with new technological processes and materials of the mid-20th century.

Colombo’s work also reflects the heavy influence of Pop Art on a culture captivated by the space race and plastic. His designs won myriad awards, including the Tecnhotel Award for his famous chair. Colombo imbued his pieces with imagination, innovation, and vision.

"If the elements necessary to human existence could be planned with the sole requirements of maneuverability and flexibility,” he once said, “then we would create an inhabitable system that could be adapted to any situation in space and time..."