Ingo Maurer was born on the island of Reichenau in the Lake of Constance, Germany. After an apprenticeship as a typesetter, Maurer studied graphic design in Munich then moved to the U.S. as a freelance graphic designer. In 1963, he moved back to Germany and opened his own studio named Design M where he developed and manufactured lighting concepts and systems. In 1973, Design M became and still is Ingo Maurer Lighting GmbH.
From his first design, simply titled "Bulb", which can now be seen in the permanent collection at MoMA in New York, Ingo Maurer has always been synonymous with originality, creativity and a combination of quirkiness and romanticism. While aesthetics do play a huge role in the creative process, the company has also consistently managed to stay one step ahead of the industry by quickly embracing and integrating new technologies to their creations.
Besides the design of lamps for serial production, Maurer creates and plans lighting installations for public or private spaces. In 2006, he created lighting objects and installations for the interior of the Atomium in Brussels.
Maurer’s designs reflect the past and have a story to tell. Some designs are strictly minimalist and others have anecdotal embellishment. This "poet of light" has been ranked amongst the most important product designers internationally for many years.
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