Martino Gamper

Martino Gamper
Martino Gamper in 2014

Martino Gamper OBE (born 1971 in Merano, Italy)[1] is an Italian-born designer based in London[2] who became internationally regarded through his project 100 Chairs in 100 Days.[3] This group of works was exhibited in 2007 in London, the Milan Triennial in 2009,[4] and at YBCA in San Francisco in 2010.[5][6] It has also been published by Dent-de-Leone as a book (100 Chairs in 100 Days and its 100 Ways), republished as a pocket book.[7] The 100 Chairs project has been described by Gamper as "3D Drawing",[8] and is typical of Gamper's practice in that it shows disregard for the historic design standards of harmony and symmetry. Gamper has stated "There is no perfect chair".[9]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to design.[10]

Gamper has taught at the Royal College of Art in London.[11] He took his MA at the Royal College of Art in 2000, studying under Ron Arad.[12]

Personal life

Gamper is married to the sculptor Francis Upritchard.[13][14]

Exhibitions

Gamper has exhibited extensively both in the UK and internationally, including a chair arch of Ercol chairs for the London Design Festival at the V&A[15] in September 2009, the British Council exhibition Get It Louder in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou,[16] Autoprogettazione Revisited: Easy-to-assemble Furniture at the Architectural Association, London, in October 2009,[17] and designed the exhibition Super Contemporary at the Design Museum, London, in 2009.[18]

Publications

  • "100 Chairs in 100 Days and its 100 Ways", published by Dent-de-Leone, designed by Åbäke, ISBN 978-0-9557098-1-4
  • "Piccolo Volume II", published by Nilufar & Dent-De-Leone, designed by Åbäke, ISBN 978-0-9561885-1-9

References

  1. ↑ Sammicheli, Marco (2026). Martino Gamper (in Italian and English). Electa. p. 8. ISBN 978-88-928-2887-2.
  2. ↑ Sudjic, Deyan (12 May 2020). "Martino Gamper". Port. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Sammicheli, Marco (2026). Martino Gamper (in Italian and English). Electa. p. 28. ISBN 978-88-928-2887-2. The project, however, that made his name internationally, '100 Chairs in 100 Days' (2007), is an operational manifesto.
  4. ↑ "Martino Gamper: 100 chairs in 100 days". designboom. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "fuse project: technocraft at ybca". designboom. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "TechnoCRAFT". Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Gamper, Martino. 100 Chairs in 100 Days and its 100 Ways. Dent-De-Leone. ISBN 978-0-9557098-1-4.
  8. ↑ Sammicheli, Marco (2026). Martino Gamper (in Italian and English). Electa. p. 96. ISBN 978-88-928-2887-2. I treated each piece as part of a kind of three-dimensional sketchbook.
  9. ↑ Culpan, Daniel. "Designer Martino Gamper on the art of sitting". Art Basel. Retrieved 5 August 2026. I have a feeling that the perfect chair would be quite boring.
  10. ↑ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B12.
  11. ↑ Olunkwa, Emmanuel (2023). "Martino Gamper and Max Lamb". PIN–UP. Retrieved 5 August 2026. Gamper was among Lamb's tutors at London's Royal College of Art (RCA)
  12. ↑ Rawsthorn, Alice (16 January 2019). "Reinventing the chair: Martino Gamper interview". Icon. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Sammicheli, Marco (2026). Martino Gamper (in Italian and English). Electa. p. 25. ISBN 978-88-928-2887-2. Working with my wife, the sculptor Francis Upritchard, has been fundamental to the way I understand the studio.
  14. ↑ Egan, Maura (11 February 2016). "At Home With Martino Gamper, Who Gives Unwanted Objects New Life as Furniture". T: The New York Times Style Magazine. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  15. ↑ Vinson, Nick (19 September 2009). "Spotlight on London". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009.
  16. ↑ "About". martinogamper.com. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Bertoli, Rosa (7 October 2009). "Enzo Mari's Autoprogettazione Revisited, London". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  18. ↑ Etherington, Rose (13 June 2009). "Super Contemporary at the Design Museum". Dezeen. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Martino Gamper: Design Is a State of Mind". Serpentine Galleries. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  20. ↑ Compton, Nick (4 March 2014). "'Martino Gamper: Design is a State of Mind' at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Rossi, Catharine (12 March 2014). "Design is a state of mind". Domus. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Martino Gamper: Design Is a State of Mind". Museion. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Martino Gamper "Design is a State of Mind" at Museion, Bolzano". Mousse Magazine. 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "Pirouette: Turning Points in Design 'Final Checklist'" (PDF). The Museum of Modern Art. November 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  25. ↑ "Martino Gamper. Gamper Mollino Chair No. 20 and Stool 7. 2008 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
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