The man who gave a soul to light by design

At the end of the 80s, I used to know Ernesto Gismondi by fame. He was one of those few actors who personified light and design, the winning combination which brought prestige and fame to several Italian companies. In the early 90s, back from a Fair, I met him in person in the small waiting room at Warsaw airport.  With a copy of Italian Lighting in my hand, I broke my hesitation and introduced myself. And there I met Mr Gismondi, a gentle and calm person with an extraordinary curiosity and the magnetic ability to involve people in his world: the world of light.

Recently, all media have exalted Gismondi’s character recalling awards, collaborations, talking about the entrepreneur and Artemide, his creation, and his ability to use design as an essential part of his lamps’ intrinsic nature. Nevertheless,

I would like to remember him in that small airport talking to me with intensity and passion, while explaining to me that “Lamps must have a soul even when switched off, to make the light they produce even more beautiful when switched on”.

Federico Galluzzi