“Our lamps are still made by hand, in beautiful workspaces. They are all made in Italy, on the banks of the Serio River. There’s no stress. Every lamp is given all the time it needs to be well-made.”
Catellani & Smith‘s craftsmanship value is revealed by the lamps’ design and in the countless forms they shape light in. It is an ancient call, an invitation to rediscover the charm and genuineness in the (im)perfection of the human gesture that creates uniqueness and a close connection with the material. Each lamp is made in the laboratory on the banks of the Serio River (Bergamo) through an artisanal manufacturing process that represents the cornerstone around which are developed the company’s values and identity. This is where intuition turns into experimentation: materials, components, and shapes become instruments of an orchestra driven by technological innovation, creating a virtuous business model to support the quality and beauty of handmade objects, made of time. Catellani & Smith, indeed, dedicates patience and the required time to each piece, without any compromise or shortcut. All this translates into unique lamps, where no two are identical to one another. The slight irregularities are an authenticity statement, the tangible evidence of complex manual work and craftsmanship.
Skilled hands shaping light. Precise gestures shaping the spheroidal brass structure of the new Pòta! series, neatly distributing an innovative and handmade lighting fixture, inside which glass and brass are combined with modern filament LED technology. With extreme care, then, they apply the precious gold-coloured leaf, one of the most Catellani & Smith’s recognisable signatures, decorating the surface of numerous lamps, such as Lederam, Macchina della Luce, Luna Piena or Bellatrix. With the same dedication, they hand-paint Sorry Giotto thin circles, or some models of the PostKrisi series. At every manufacturing stage, the common thread is attention: a meticulous approach that accompanies every lamp construction moment, up to the final packaging, where the Catellani & Smith stamp is applied.
In a world where everything seems homologated and standardised, the value of craftsmanship guides us towards a more original dimension. Every handmade object has a story to tell, a soul that reveals itself through the (im)perfections that give it voice.
Credits:
Photo Nava Rapacchietta
