Rooted in materiality and process research, LS Gomma’s practice follows a unique methodology of craftsmanship, working primarily with polyurethane rubber and metal mesh. Fabricating everything by hand in his studio in Paris, the practice extends into a material lab, exploring the capability of the materiality. Each handcrafted rubber panel becomes a spatial painting, which stands at the core of Gomma’s design practice.

The title Heavy Reticello draws a conceptual bridge between the intricate historical technique of reticello and LS Gomma’s materially intensive, hand-crafted design practice. Traditionally associated with delicate lacework or glassblowing, reticello is defined by its grid-like, geometric patterns — an aesthetic echoed in Gomma’s practice. By working with industrial materials like polyurethane rubber and metal mesh, Gomma reinterprets the ornamental precision of reticello through a contemporary, sculptural lens. His chairs, bench and lights, displayed at the show, embrace a similar lattice-like complexity, suggesting a heavy, tactile version of the once ethereal technique. In this way, Heavy Reticello becomes both homage and evolution translating historical craftsmanship into a bold material language rooted in experimentation and physicality.

Heavy Reticello is an exploration in to the decorative styles achieved during the studios Rubber experiments. Painterly concerns for a depth of surface through layered translucent colours as well as a recurring formal use of the grid, embedded in the material in the form of the mesh, this visual offers a playful contrast to the unruly material gestures of the rubbers application. The resulting furniture and lighting works incorporate Stainless Steel structures to both display these elements like an armature as well as complete the gesture for a functional purpose, becoming both seating pads in chairs and benches or shades for lighting elements that in turn adds a further layer of depth to the material.” - LS Gomma

“It’s a great pleasure to be presenting our Premier exhibit in Venice. The Visual & Physical connection between LS Gomma’s practice and some of that of the Murano glassworks meant that showing a body of their works felt like the natural decision for what we might exhibit. We look forward to welcoming you and presenting the beautiful contrast between the radical works of
LS GOMMA & the historical setting of Castello MCD.” - Max Radford