Mario Botta, Shogun lamp for Artemide

MARIO BOTTA (Switzerland, 1943) for Artemide.
Floor lamp "Shogun", 1980s.
Cast iron, steel.
Electrical characteristics: European plug (up to 240 V) / E27 bulb.
Slight wear typical of its age and use. Some scuff marks. One of the plastic covers of the screen is not original.
Measurements: 214 x 33 x 35 cm.

The unique Shogun lamp, designed by Mario Botta in 1985, takes its name from the Japanese term for "military commander" and is inspired by the armor of feudal lords. Its characteristic domed and perforated diffuser, adjustable in different positions, generates a suggestive play of light and shadow that reinforces its sculptural character.

According to Mario Botta, a lamp must create atmosphere: not only emit light, but also generate shadows, since light exists through contrast. Beyond its function, it is an everyday object with its own meaning, capable of maintaining its presence and beauty even when switched off, accompanying the user. For Botta, the lamp is a visible artifact with function and identity, which is why he conceives his designs almost as human figures; Shogun is thus understood as a body with head, trunk and base-even a "navel"-that introduces a recognizable scale in space. Available in floor, table and wall versions, it materializes its idea of light through projected shadows: two metal shades, rotating and adjustable, make it possible to compose an infinite number of lighting effects.

Architect and designer, Mario Botta designed his first house at the age of sixteen, although it is not known if it was ever built. He studied at the Liceo Artistico in Milan and at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice, where his main teacher was Carlo Scarpa. His ideas were influenced by Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, with whom he had the opportunity to work during his stay in Venice. In 1970 he opened his own office in Lugano. Botta's style is strong and geometric, with symmetrical floor plans hollowed out to allow passage. His buildings combine heavy concrete or brick walls with lightweight steel and glass structures. His works are spread throughout Switzerland, although he is also the author of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (1995). Since 1996 he has been teaching at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio at the University of Italian Switzerland.