A dual foundation: technical innovation and humanism. Artemide was established in 1960 by Sergio Mazza and Ernesto Gismondi with this unique positioning. However, their language wasn't the marketing jargon of today. Instead, they were driven by a holistic vision of well-being—one that considers context, trusts in technological innovation, and prioritizes human needs as they evolve. Ernesto Gismondi was Artemide's backbone and driving force until his recent passing in 2020. Over time, the company adopted the motto “The Human and Responsible Light,” shared by the entire team, including Carlotta de Bevilacqua, now CEO.
Gismondi’s atypical background explains why Artemide stands out among lighting companies. After a classical education typical of his bourgeois milieu, Gismondi earned two degrees in aerospace and missile engineering, giving Artemide a distinct technical DNA. Early on, alongside Mazza, the company also designed furniture and accessories using the decade's new material—plastic. Notable examples include the Toga by Mazza and Selene by Vico Magistretti. Eventually, lighting became Artemide’s primary focus. In the booming, entrepreneurial Italy of the 1960s, Artemide’s early successes included designs such as Alfa, Eclisse, Nesso, Aggregato, and later Tizio and Tolomeo.
However, the company didn’t rest on its laurels. Beyond consumer products, Artemide expanded into systemic and architectural lighting, a shift exemplified in 1985 with Aton, the first suspended lighting bar, followed by many other projects. In the 1990s, Artemide’s Metamorfosi project explored colored light—not as a virtuosic technological hubris but as a tool for emotional and psychological well-being.
Committed to technological advancements, Artemide pioneered LED lighting with the Sui and Kaio lamps, designed by de Bevilacqua and Gismondi, around the millennium. Fifteen years later, the company delved into IoT and Li-Fi technologies, using light for data transmission. Collaborations with renowned architects like BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Mario Cucinella, Foster+Partners, and Herzog & de Meuron further solidified Artemide’s reputation.
The missile that Gismondi dreamed of building in his youth never came to fruition—and perhaps that’s not a bad thing. The Greek goddess of the hunt, after whom Artemide is named, seems to have aimed true, bringing remarkable fortune to this enduring brand. In 1994, the company received the Compasso d’Oro for lifetime achievement, followed by the European Design Prize in 1997 and the Leonardo Quality Italy Award in 2012.
Opening image: Vico Magistretti, Eclisse. Courtesy Artemide