A$AP Rocky makes first foray into design with Gufram at Design Miami 2022

A$AP Rocky teamed up with Italian radical design brand Gufram to leave his mark on the Cactus – the ‘Shroom Cactus’ by the American music artist, producer and entrepreneur gives a new interpretation to the iconic 1972 design by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello, and is presented at Design Miami 2022.

 A$AP Rocky and Gufram: the 'Shroom Cactus '

‘Gufram is known to be playfully innovative while not losing their luxury appeal,’ says A$AP Rocky, a design collector with a particular passion for Gufram pieces. ‘From midcentury modifications, to contemporary collaborations, they have established themselves as a unique brand and therefore a perfect brand collaborator.’

As the name suggests, A$AP Rocky’s 'Shroom Cactus' features an array of colourful fungi growing over the bright green, stylised cactus. The new design is presented at Design Miami 2022 through an immersive Curio installation, transforming Gufram’s booth into a bright, utopian forest. A blue sky and giant mushrooms form the backdrop to the presentation, and guests are encouraged to take a stroll on the bright green carpet dotted with ceramic flowers to discover the new Gufram Cactus. 

‘This is the first collaboration from my Hommemade décor studio and since I've always advocated for mushrooms it was only right that we made a cactus with them,’ explains A$AP Rocky.

The new interpretation coincides with the Gufram Cactus’ 50th anniversary and will comprise a limited edition of nine pieces featuring the hand-painted mushrooms and a bespoke green shade.

To coincide with the launch, Wallpaper* Milan Editor and Design Miami 2022 curatorial director Maria Cristina Didero hosted a talk with Vezza and A$AP Rocky, titled 'Multidisciplinary minds'.

‘Working with a multidisciplinary artist like Rocky has been incredibly inspiring for me,’ says Charley Vezza, Gufram’s global creative orchestrator. ‘Since my early days at Gufram, I have constantly been looking for cross-contamination opportunities across various disciplines and feel like we reached an important goal in working with a phenomenal music artist like Rocky. I would say that developing this mushroom-based collaboration has been a good trip!’

'Shroom Cactus' by A$AP Rocky is on view as part of Gufram's Curio at Design Miami 2022, until 4 December.

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