After graduating with a Master of Contextual Design at the Design Academy of Eindhoven, in 2017 Francesco Pace founded Tellurico, a multidisciplinary design studio specialised in objects, spaces and installations design.
The investigation of alternative solutions through the study of folklore, together with the relationship between crafts and the environment has been the centre of Tellurico’s practice. The context in which a project is born has been the primary focus of these years’ research. What binds the objects of a place to the characteristic of the place itself intertwines the historical, geological and social aspects of humankind, as well as the uniqueness and simplicity of everyday life. It is an always expanding field of investigation, as endless are the ways to live.
In 2020 Tellurico has been nominated by Platform Magazine among the Best Italian Designers Under 40. In 2021 Tellurico won the prestigious Officine Saffi Awards with his project Telluride and in 2022 has been listed among the Next Pure Talent of 2022 by Elle Decor in 2023 became part of the AD20 List of the New Italian Rising Talent from AD-Italia and 2024 Exibart nominated Tellurico among the 222 Designer and Artist to which invest in to.
So far, Tellurico’s works have been presented in many international venues such as the Biennale of Architecture in Venice, and the Van AbbeMuseum in Eindhoven, Ithra in Dammam, Hong Kong Design Institute, M.A.D.RE. Museum in Naples, Triennale di Milano, Brøhån Museum in Berlin, Beirut Design Fair, Italian Pavilion in Barcelona, Zoya Gallery in Bratislava and others. He works closely with cultural institutions, international brands and private collectors receiving commissions from different galleries such as the Emma Scully Gallery in New York, Side-Gallery in Barcelona, and Mint London. Among other things, Tellurico is also a professor of Product Design at NABA in Milan.
Tellurico lives and works in the Netherlands.
What are the biggest challenges you have met in your career?
The biggest challenge in my career as an independent designer has been striking a balance between creating meaningful work and maintaining a steady, reliable revenue stream. Today, it’s increasingly difficult for independent designers to pursue personal research while finding clients willing to invest in it. Equally challenging is the need to adapt my practice to align with the vision and values of brands or clients who share a similar outlook. It’s a constant push and pull between staying true to my creative identity and meeting external expectations. Luckily have been able to achieve so, but it is a challenge I face daily, and most probably is also what keeps things fun.
How was your passion for art and design born?
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment my passion for art and design was born—it’s been more of an evolving process. I’ve always sought a way to tell stories or express concepts, and design naturally became the medium for me to do so.
What is your main source of inspiration?
I’ve always hated the word inspiration. I don’t believe in it, and I never will. To me, inspiration feels like some external force, a mythical whisper that tells us what to create. My work isn’t about that. It’s rooted in intuition and something far more complex: finding alternative solutions to events or phenomena that resonate with our surroundings and have real-world relevance. It’s about shaping these solutions and choosing the right medium to communicate them effectively. My process is grounded, deliberate, deeply connected to reality and yet very dreamlike.
What does art and design mean to you?
It’s the tool through which my ideas come to life.
Portrait Francesco Pace