Andy Warhol's vision comes alive in Gufram's 50th anniversary Cactus

The iconic design sensibility of revered pop artist Andy Warhol comes alive in Gufram’s recently recreated classic Cactus design. Comprising three Cactus versions, Andy’s Blue Cactus ®, Andy’s Pink Cactus ® and Andy’s Yellow Cactus ®, this collaboration between the Italian brand and The Andy Warhol Foundation of Visual Arts aims to celebrate both the completion of 50 years since the first Cactus design was unveiled, and to pay homage to the renowned American artist and his contribution to the Pop Art movement. The Andy Warhol X Gufram Edition pieces will be formally unveiled at at the art exhibition ‘50 Years of Being a Cactus’ at La Triennale di Milano showcased during the anticipated Milan Design Week in June 2022. “The Foundation is delighted to collaborate on this unique project which celebrates Warhol’s continued influence on contemporary culture,” says Michael Dayton Hermann, Director of Licensing, Marketing and Sales at the The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts, Inc. “Gufram’s unique creative vision unexpectedly transformed Warhol’s iconic silkscreen technique into three dimensions,” Hermann adds.

First designed in 1972 by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello, the parabolic design of Cactus references Italian design. Over the past few decades, it has become an iconic and ironic totem that transcends the boundaries of indoor and outdoor spaces and embodies the humorous and imaginative turn that art and design in the 70s imbibed. Ever since its first launch, it has regularly been recreated in different styles and colours to mirror the design sensibilities of that period. The Cactus, thus, does not serve any utilitarian purpose. Instead, it serves as a decorative item that captures the creative energy around it. “The collaboration between Gufram and Andy Warhol feels so right that it’s almost absurd that it has never happened before! Finally the pop art genius encountered CACTUS®, the most pop design icon” states Charley Vezza of Gufram.

This recent collaboration serves to physically capture the eccentricity that defined Andy Warhol and his works. The 99 pieces that make up the collection embody the pop artist’s prickly designs in 3D. Designed by Gufram, they are washed in colours that were typically found in Warhol’s works, while also featuring black highlights that would often dot his screenprints. Made out of the original mould that was used to create the 1972 Cactus, each piece is sculpted and finished by trained artisans manually. This grants uniqueness to the pieces that make up the quirky collection. Gufram’s patented Guflac paint that layers the pieces further enhances their appearance, in that they appear to be made out of leather, while still featuring flexible and soft characteristics.

The collection serves to further the mottos of both the Italian brand and the pop artist’s foundation. It furthers the message of promoting artistic expression and experimental art practices, while also validating Gufram’s avant-garde mindset. Gufram is an experimental design space that was originally born as an artisanal entity by Sandra and Charley Vezza in Turin in 1966. Today, it is a renowned brand that is known for pushing the limits of industrial design through nonconformist experimentation in design, technology and material. Over the years, they have created subversive designs that intrigue and promote introspection. The Andy Warhol Foundation of Visual Arts, on the other hand, was established in congruence with the pop artist’s will. It regularly funds and supports contemporary artists in the United States.

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