Metalplastica Lucchese, the heartthrob of the 1980s

METALPLASTICA LUCCHESE. Italy, 1980s.
Memphis-style nightstand / bathroom organizer.
Plastic and metal.
Vintage piece. Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 108 x 40 x 25 cm.

A unique piece of domestic design produced by the Italian firm Metalplastica Lucchese in the 1980s, fully embodying the postmodern and pop spirit of the Memphis movement, founded in Milan by Ettore Sottsass in 1980 and dissolved in 1988. The structure, made of metal lacquered in a deep carmine red, takes on an almost anthropomorphic form—with two oval feet serving as a base, two vertical rods serving as legs, a curved side arm, and an articulated upper body—which is combined with modular compartments made of hard plastic in the same red color to hold bathroom or vanity accessories: a storage tray, a toothbrush holder, and a hook for towels or clothing. The piece conveys an unmistakable sense of formal humor and a chromatic exuberance directly inherited from the Pop art language that the Memphis group brought to everyday objects. A piece that transcends its utilitarian function to become a collector’s item and an aesthetic statement, representative of one of the most influential and iconoclastic design movements of the 20th century.