ingo maurer passes away aged 87

german designer ingo maurer has passed away at the age of 87. born in 1932, maurer is known for his pioneering luminaire and light designs, which can be found in the collections of the world’s most important museums — including the museum of modern art in new york. among his most famous designs are his first work ‘bulb’ (1966), the low voltage halogen system ‘YaYaHo’ (1984, ingo maurer and team), the winged light bulb ‘lucellino’ (1992), the pendant lamp ‘zettel’z’ (1997), ‘one from the heart’ (1989), and ‘porca miseria!’ (1994).

portrait of ingo maurer with ‘lucellino’ bulbs
image by tom vack

in 1960, after completing an apprenticeship as a typesetter and studying commercial graphics, maurer went to the united states where he worked as a freelance graphic artist until 1963. after returning to germany, he traveled extensively in japan and brazil before moving to new york, where he lived for over 40 years. ‘home is a place where I feel comfortable and inspired,‘ maurer once said. ‘that can be in new york, paris, tokyo, são paulo, or munich. I am at home when I am with good friends. I need provocation. that gives me the strength to be creative.’

‘lucellino NT’, 1992 

regarded as a pioneer in the development and use of the latest lighting innovations, maurer referred to the light bulb as the ‘ideal symbiosis of poetry and technology’. the designer used low-voltage halogen systems in the 1980s and produced the first LED desk lamp in 2001. ‘first, the idea of an object arises in my head — like a dream,’ he said, describing his creative process. ‘only in the next step I search together with my team for ways for the realization. sometimes it takes decades until the technical developments make our imagination possible.’

‘bulb’, 1966

the ‘luzy’ lights illuminate the fingertips of plastic gloves
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‘YaYaHo’, 1984

‘zettel’z 5’, 1997

maurer translates ron arad’s spyre sculpture as a functional luminaire
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‘what we do counts’ transforms a speech bubble into a table lamp
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‘i ricchi poveri — toto’, 2014

maurer’s guddevol street lights created an intimate setting in luxembourg
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