Lugano
Bruno Munari was one of the most influential Italian artists and designers of the 20th century. Born in Milan on October 24, 1907, he spent his childhood in the Veneto region of Italy before returning to the Lombard capital, where he began working as a graphic designer and frequented the lively Futurist milieu. In the 1930s he became noted for his originality and early artistic experiments, including the famous Macchine Inutili, suspended mobile objects symbolic of his interest in dynamism, play and the integration of art and movement.
After the war, Munari approached abstract art, founding MAC (Movimento di Arte Concreta) in 1948. Among his most significant works are the Negative-Positive series, Polarized Light Projections and Polariscops, evidence of his research into visual perception and the innovative use of light. In parallel, he worked in the field of editorial and industrial graphics, collaborating with magazines, publishers and leading companies such as Mondadori.
Munari was also a pioneer of programmed art and visual communication, and distinguished for his ability to combine design rigor and irony. In the 1960s and 1970s he produced works such as the Travel Sculptures and Original Xerographs, and was invited to lecture in the United States, including a series at Harvard University. During these years he also published seminal texts such as “Design and Visual Communication.”
A great promoter of creative education, Munari devoted much energy to childhood, designing books, games and workshops for children. His innovative teaching method made him a reference in the field of visual pedagogy. He received numerous awards, including three Compassi d’Oro, and important international recognition. He passed away in Milan in 1998, leaving behind an extraordinary cultural legacy that continues to inspire designers and artists around the world.
