Enzo Mari was an influential industrial designer and a beloved curmudgeon who revered Marxism. His vintage mid-century modern designs are simple, functional and poetic. Widely known Mari-designed objects include desk accessories, such as the Formosa perpetual wall calendar, vases, cocktail tables and chandeliers.
Enzo Mari's work is embedded within the city of Milan, the Italian capital of all things design. In fact, the traffic bollards he devised are part of the city itself: Shaped like "panettone" cakes, they simultaneously direct traffic and provide seating for pedestrians.
In 1974, Mari published Autoprogettazione? (roughly translated as self-design), a Marx-inspired, anti-industrial, do-it-yourself handbook for the everyday person to use to build furniture without the assistance of a glitzy designer or knowledge of complex joinery. Mari’s intent with the publication was to remove the alienation of the creator and manufacturer from the end product by teaching anyone to develop a critical eye for production.
Artek relaunched kits based on the blueprints in the manual in an exhibition at Spazio Rossana Orlandi in 2010. The subsequent collectability of his work was reportedly irksome for Mari because he abhorred the industrial production for which he was becoming known.
Mari’s meager upbringing heavily influenced his politics, and even in childhood, he would come up with ingenious ways to support the family financially. As a designer, the desire to envision and build significant pieces was more important to Mari than devising new marketing and retail sales tactics. He optimistically believed objects could change the world. This view went against the rising consumer mania for every next trend that surfaced in the late 20th century. Not surprisingly, his ecological and economical stance led him to produce fewer objects.
Mari's philosophy did not stop people from desiring his creations, nor prevent other designers from wanting to collaborate with him. Following World War II, he worked for companies like Danese, Olivetti, Artemide, Driade and Alessi, who brought his prodigious designs to the public, and Mari’s work was widely celebrated.
The Golden Compass, Italy's highest honor for industrial design, was awarded to Mari four times before he died from COVID in 2020, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art has a permanent collection of his objects on display.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Enzo Mari decorative objects, folk art and serveware.
Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina "Aggregato" Task Light For Artemide, 1970s
By Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari
Located in Skokie, IL
Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina "Aggregato" Adjustable Task Light for Artemide, Italy 1970s. Additional information: Dimensions: 19.75" W x 10" D x 37.5" H
Aluminum, Steel
Postmodern Italian Aggregato Braccio Wall Lamp by Enzo Mari & Giancarlo, 1970s
By Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari
Located in Hamburg, DE
Very rare wall or ceiling light from the Aggregato series by the Italian manufacturer Artemide based on a design by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina from the 70s. The widely projecti...
Metal
Mid-Century Italian Sconce by Enzo Mari for Artemide, 1970s
By Enzo Mari
Located in Hamburg, DE
Very rare wall or ceiling lamp from the Aggregato series from the Italian manufacturer Artemide after a design by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina from the 70s. Particularly striking...
Metal
Italian modern aluminium Aggregato arm lamp by Mari and Fassina, Artemide 1970s
By Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern matt aluminium Aggregato wall arm lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, 1970s. Wall lamp, arm, Aggregato model, composed o...
Metal, Aluminum
white plastic & metal counterweight pendant lamp Aggregato by Mari for Artemide
By Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Aggregato pendant lamp with conic plastic shade and counterweight. Adjustable height from cm 80 to 140. Very good condition: part of the canopy has been repainted in white.
Metal, Lead
Vintage Enzo Mari Yellow Dumbbell Lamp
By Enzo Mari
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A classic by famed Italian design Enzo Mari that looks like a dumbbell. Spherical weighted base with chrome ring keeps the lamp from tipping over, yellow ribbed collar turns on/off ...
Metal
Italian space age Chandelier Aggregate by Mari Fassina for Artemide, 1970s
By Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian space age Chandelier Aggregato by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, 1970s Chandelier mod. Aggregato with conical plexiglass diffuser, externally aqua green and in...
Metal
Enzo Mari for Artemide Alfiere adjustable floor lamp Italy, 1985
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Chicago, IL
Enzo Mari for Artemide "Alfiere" Adjustable Floor Lamp, Italy, 1985 Designed by renowned Italian designer Enzo Mari for Artemide, the Alfiere floor lamp is an iconic example of postm...
Metal, Aluminum
Enzo Mari ''Aggregato'' Table Lamp for Artemide, Italy, 1976
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
This adjustable shade height ''Aggregato'' table lamp was designed by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina and produced by the Italian manufacturer Artemide during the 1970's. Here in...
Aluminum, Steel
Aggregato Braccio Wall Lamp by Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, 1970s
By Enzo Mari
Located in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Tel Aviv District
A very rare wall or ceiling light from the Aggregato series by the Italian manufacturer Artemide, designed in the 1970s by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina. The lamp is distinguished ...
Metal, Aluminum
'Aggregate' Table Lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide
By Enzo Mari, Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Hellouw, NL
Nice Adjustable 'Aggregate' table lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, the 1970s. This lamp is an impressive addition to your table or desk. The base is made from bl...
Iron
Floor lamp model Aggregato, designer Enzo Mari, production Artemide
By Enzo Mari, Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide
Located in Busnago, IT
Adjustable floor lamp Aggregate model. Artemide Production, Designer Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina lamp produced in the 1970s has a burn on the plastic tube due to the heating of ...
Metal
Pair of "Aggregato" Plastic Wall Lamps by Enzo Mari for Artemide, Italy, 1970s
By Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in Milan, IT
Pair of Aggregato wall lamps by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide. Spherical shades with a round open, wall connected through a handful of basic elements from industrial p...
Metal
Set of Two Extendable "Polluce" Floor Lamps by Enzo Mari for Artemide, 1960s
By Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in Milan, IT
Rare set of two "Polluce" floor lamps by Enzo Mari and Anna Fasolis for Artemide. The extendable telescopic aluminum rod allows to adjust the lamp from 80 cm to 190 cm. The opal gl...
Aluminum
"Mania" Sconce by Artemide
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian "Mania" wall light with white opaline polycarbonate shades mounted on white metal frame / Made in Italy, designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, circa 1960s Height...
Acrylic
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' Table Lamp in White for Artemide
By Artemide, Giancarlo Mattioli
Located in Glendale, CA
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' table lamp in white for Artemide. With its mushroom shape and bright hues, the Nessino lamp has become a design icon. Introduced in 1967, the Nessino wa...
Plastic
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' Table Lamp in Red for Artemide
By Giancarlo Mattioli, Artemide
Located in Glendale, CA
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' table lamp in red for Artemide. With its mushroom shape and bright hues, the Nessino lamp has become a design icon. Introduced in 1967, the Nessino was ...
Plastic
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nesso' Table Lamp in Orange for Artemide
By Artemide, Giancarlo Mattioli
Located in Glendale, CA
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nesso' table lamp in orange for Artemide. Designed by Mattioli in the 1960s, the Nesso is now an internationally celebrated design. Its iconic curves inspired b...
Plastic
$1,200
H 31.5 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
'Aggregate' Table Lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide
By Enzo Mari, Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Hellouw, NL
Nice Adjustable 'Aggregate' table lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, the 1970s. This lamp is an impressive addition to your table or desk. The base is made from bl...
Iron
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' Table Lamp in Orange for Artemide
By Artemide, Giancarlo Mattioli
Located in Glendale, CA
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nessino' table lamp in orange for Artemide. With its mushroom shape and bright hues, the Nessino lamp has become a design icon. Introduced in 1967, the Nessino w...
Plastic
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nesso' Table Lamp in White for Artemide
By Giancarlo Mattioli, Artemide
Located in Glendale, CA
Giancarlo Mattioli 'Nesso' table lamp in white for Artemide. Designed by Mattioli in the 1960s, the Nesso is now an internationally celebrated design. Its iconic curves inspired by...
Plastic
Italian Postmodern Wall Light, 1970s
Located in Milan, IT
Monumental Italian Postmodern wall light. Carries 3 light bulbs.
Metal
$2,087
H 55.12 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Area 50 Pendant Lamp by Mario Bellini for Artemide, Italy, 1974
By Mario Bellini, Artemide
Located in Hagenbach, DE
This iconic Area 50 pendant lamp, designed by renowned Italian designer Mario Bellini for Artemide in 1974, is a true masterpiece of modernist lighting design. Featuring a sleek and ...
Metal
"Mania" Sconce by Artemide
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian "Mania" wall light with white opaline polycarbonate shades mounted on white metal frame / Made in Italy, designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, circa 1960s Height...
Acrylic
Area 50 Hanging Lamp by Mario Bellini for Artemide, 1970s
By Artemide, Mario Bellini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Paper and plastic hanging lamp by Mario Bellini with doughnut-shaped counterweight, model: Area 50. Easily adjustable in height. Minimum height: 100 cm, maximum height with cable: 27...
Plastic, Parchment Paper
Nesso Table Lamp by Giancarlo Mattioli for Artemide, 1980s
By Artemide, Giancarlo Mattitioli and Gruppo Architetti Urbanisti from Artemide
Located in New York, NY
Giancarlo Mattioli for Artemide, Italy. Vintage Nesso table lamp in white acrylic plastic. Introduced in 1967, Circa 1980s.
Metal
Sold
H 33.08 in Dm 20.48 in
white plastic & metal counterweight pendant lamp Aggregato by Mari for Artemide
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Aggregato pendant lamp with conic plastic shade and counterweight. Adjustable height from cm 80 to 140. Very good condition.
Metal, Lead
Sold
H 7.48 in W 20.47 in D 20.47 in
Postmodern Italian Aggregate Pendant Lamp by Enzo Mari & Giancarlo, 1970s
By Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari
Located in Hamburg, DE
Pull pendant lamp from the aggregato series by the italian manufacturer artemide based on a design by enzo mari and giancarlo fassina from the 70s. Here is an early version with a sp...
Metal
Mid-Century Italian Space Age Model Polluce Extendable Floor Lamp, 1960s
By Anna Fasolis, Enzo Mari
Located in Hamburg, DE
Impressive floor lamp from the italian manufacturer artemide based on a design by anna fasolis and enzo mari from the 1960s. A classic design with technical design language in the de...
Metal
'Polluce' floor lamp by Enzo Mari and Anna Fasolin 1960s
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Milano, IT
Height-adjustable telescopic lamp made of chrome-plated metal and white glass.
Metal
'Polluce' floor lamp by Enzo Mari and Anna Fasolin 1960s
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Milano, IT
Height-adjustable telescopic lamp made of chrome-plated metal and white glass.
Metal
'Polluce' floor lamp by Enzo Mari and Anna Fasolin 1960s
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Milano, IT
Height-adjustable telescopic lamp made of chrome-plated metal and white glass.
Metal
Artemide Aggregato Braccio 110 by Enzo Mari
By Enzo Mari
Located in Rochester, England
The Artemide Aggregato Braccio 110 by Enzo Mari is a quintessential embodiment of Italian design excellence. This wall lamp seamlessly blends functi...
Metal
Artemide Aggregato table Lamp Design Mari and Fassina Vintage
By Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari
Located in Milano, IT
Table lamp adjustable by means of 2 joints; in metal and aluminium, the diffuser is in methacrylate.
Metal, Aluminum
Sold
H 52 in W 15 in D 15 in
1974 Aggregato Terra Floor Lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide
By Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina, Enzo Mari
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an ‘Aggregato Terra’ Floor Lamp, designed by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide in 1974. The lamp was produced in Italy and features a metal base & stem, and ha...
Metal
Sold
H 24.41 in Dm 14.97 in
Lampada da tavolo mod. Aggregato dis. da Enzo Mari per G. Fassina per Artemide
By Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Milano, IT
Lampada Aggregato - 1976 - Enzo Mari e Giancarlo Fassina per Artemide
Metal
Sold
H 74.8 in Dm 15.35 in
Pair Of Wall Lamps Aggregato by Enzo Mari Black Shades Aluminum, circa 1970
By Enzo Mari, Artemide
Located in Vienna, AT
Nice pair of Enzo Mari Aggregato sconces with black shades Dimensions are 26" x 10.6" x 14.56" (diameter shade) Rare early pair of Aggregato wall...
Aluminum, Metal
Sold
H 11.82 in W 14.97 in D 33.47 in
Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide "Aggregato" Wall Lamp, Italy 1970s
By Enzo Mari, Artemide, Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Naples, IT
Wall lamp, arm, Aggregato model, composed of an aluminum stem, with a matte silver finish and white acrylic diffuser, There are a series of metal joints that allow you to orient the ...
Metal, Aluminum