AN HOUR OF LIGHT WITH DAVIDE GROPP
From March 26 to May 26, 2026, the historic Basilica of Sant’Agostino in Piacenza will host the exhibition “Un’ora di luce, ” which takes visitors on a journey spanning more than forty years through the work of Davide Groppi. Curated by Marco Sammicheli, this retrospective is a collaboration with Volumnia—a project that breathes new life into abandoned historic spaces through a dialogue between design and art.
Davide Groppi tells his story through light—through lamps, light installations, and theatrical spatial experiences that lend depth to darkness and materiality to light. The exhibition is structured as a kind of “machine of wonders,” where poetry, industry, design, and entrepreneurship intertwine into a single whole.
The exhibition begins with five “utopias of light”—unique objects situated on the border between the possible and the impossible, between nature and the artificial. Visitors move through metaphysical white architectural forms where light manifests itself unexpectedly and playfully, as if seen for the first time. The light fixtures act like torches in the space—they fall into the room, guide the gaze, and create a dialogue with both the architecture and Volumnia’s historical objects.
LIGHT AS ESSENCE, AS POETRY
Groppi’s work has always gone beyond mere functionality. For him, light is not merely a technical solution, but an opportunity to surprise, touch, and evoke emotions. He has said himself: “Io sono le mie lampade” — “I am my lamps.” This symbiosis between person, idea, and object has been at the core of his brand since 1988.
The exhibition also reflects Davide Groppi’s most significant artistic and cultural influences, whose work has shaped his understanding of light as emotion and illusion. Inspired by René Magritte’s surrealism, *Ceci n'est pas une ampoule* plays with reality and perception, creating the illusion of a floating light bulb. Yves Klein’s iconic deep blue hue becomes an exploration of the color of light, where light itself takes on an almost material presence. Groppi also pays homage to the legendary German lighting designer Ingo Maurer, whose poetic and ethereal approach to light has been a significant inspiration to him. He also references avant-garde composer John Cage’s famous silence composition 4’33” — a light object that exists as an almost invisible presence in the void. Artist James Turrell, whose work explores the perception of light and space, has also had a significant influence. As in Turrell’s installations, light in Gropp’s world is not merely a means of illuminating something, but a spatial and emotional experience in itself—something perceived almost physically.
NEW PRODUCTS 2026
The exhibition also features a new limited-edition version of the VERA lamp, whose amaranth-red lacquered finish was created specifically for Volumnia. When the VERA is turned on, a bulb appears to float like a hologram—light as an illusion and a magical moment.
In addition, visitors can discover the new UMASI lamp for the first time; its soft, filtered light creates a calm, almost meditative atmosphere in the room thanks to the Japanese paper.
A complete project with novel
Our team has been working in the interior design field for over 12 years, implementing projects both in Estonia and internationally. We are here to advise you on the selection of furniture, lighting, and finishing materials, and to help you create harmonious and tasteful spaces that feel complete.
In addition to aesthetics, our team has strong technical expertise – we prepare interior design drawings, implement lighting solutions, prepare detailed specifications, and organize the delivery of furnishings to the site.
We operate throughout Europe and are a dedicated partner in providing comprehensive solutions. Learn more about how to create a comprehensive solution with us and Davide Groppi here.
DECORATIVE LIGHTS
This Davide Groppi Shoji floor lamp is designed to make rooms more cosy. The lamp has matt black legs and features a hand-stitched nylon shade that creates diffused light.
Material: metal, polycarbonate
Dimensions: Ø 50, H 80 cm, IP20
Delivery time 4-6 weeks
Davide Groppi's TeTaTeT is a futuristic table lamp that never loses its timelessness. The iconic design is portable and rechargeable, offering great freedom for the lamp, the light and YOU. With TeTaTeT, you can turn any table into a memorable meeting place. Its light captivates with pure emotion. The table lamp is equipped with touch technology and a magnetic mounting base. The product has also received an honourable mention at the XXIV Compasso d'Oro ADI 2016 award ceremony.
Material: metal, ABS, methacrylate
Dimensions: Ø 9, H 34.5 cm, IP20.
Base dimensions: Ø 18 cm.
Delivery 2-4 weeks.
Davide Groppi's Masai floor lamp is a tribute to Alberto Giacometti and his lean sculptures. The Italian lighting brand likes to play with ropes - and Masai is no exception, with its ceiling and floor mountings. The product itself is as minimal as possible in size, which makes it even more striking in the foreground of a large, hollow light. The lamp is plug-in, dimmable and can be directed.
Material: methacrylate, brass
Dimensions: Ø 5, H 61.5 cm, IP20
Delivery time 4-6 weeks
Davide Groppi's Pablo turns light into canvas. The floor lamp is elevated to a work of art that makes you think. A frameless luminous panel leans against the wall as if waiting to be hung. The colour and brightness can be changed from the remote control.
Material: methacrylate, metal
Dimensions W x H 101.5 x 101.5 cm, IP20
Delivery time 4-6 weeks
Davide Groppi's Origine floor lamp takes its name from the Latin word "origo", meaning origin, birth, source. The design of the luminaire looks like a blade of grass sprouting from the earth and rising towards the sky, becoming ever thinner. Origine is like a subtle sculpture that complements any environment with its light, being intentionally non-invasive, graphic and exciting. The product, available only in black, has also won awards such as the AZ Award 2021 and the People's Choice Archiproducts Design Award 2020.
Material: fibreglass, metal
Dimensions: L: 37, H 270 / 370 / 470 cm, IP20
Delivery time 4-6 weeks
With Davide Groppi's Vis à Vis table lamp, this Italian lighting brand has found a masterful balance between design, technique and illusion. The aim was to search for light, to exclude everything superfluous. The transparent table lamp is battery operated. The product has been awarded several prizes, such as the German Design Award 2025, the Elle Deco International Design Award 2024, the Archiproducts Design Award 2023.
Material: ABS, methacrylate
Dimensions: Ø 130, H 20.5 cm, IP20
Delivery 2-4 weeks.