Floor lamp by Shigeaki Asahara for Stilnovo
1980s
“Samurai”
Italy
Metal
182cm high, 110cm wide, 22cm deep
Shigeaki Asahara (b. 1948, Kunitachi, Japan), began his artistic journey studying painting under Nakamoto Tatsuya before moving to Turin, Italy, to study at the Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti. Drawn to product design, he pursued a career that balanced functionality with artistic expression. After working with Adam & Eve in Japan and the Italian firm ABACO, Asahara became a freelance designer in the 1980s, specializing in lighting. His iconic Tokio lamp for Stilnovo was shortlisted for the Compasso d’Oro in 1980 and won multiple international awards. He designed for top brands in Japan and Italy, including Lucitalia, Stilnovo, Yamada, and Daiko, and received the Good Design Award twice.
Asahara’s work is featured in major museum collections in New York and Tokyo, and his designs, such as the Palomar and Ziggurat lamps, were reissued in 2019. Recognised for blending Japanese craftsmanship with Italian modernism, Asahara remains a celebrated figure in product and lighting design.