Basilica di San Marco, Venezia
Mario leaves an empty space that cannot
be filled, both from a technical and a human
point of view.
Andrea Solzi
General manager of ASSIL
being one of the founders of AIDI, author
of various publications, and a professor capable
of educating and instilling passion in many
generations of planners. His manner of doing
things, apparently abrupt and hasty, was just a
show of the moment. His big heart, his irony, his
capacity of opening himself up to others
generously without a shred of entitlement: this
would emerge after a simple exchange of words.
Stimulating and careful, Mario was welcoming
like no other: I remember my first AIDI convention
in Ancona (1995), his compliments in regards to
my presentation and research, the many
questions – comprised of a concrete interest –
and, above all, the start of a strong friendship.
I remember receiving his letter when I was
elected president of the AIDI Delegation for Lazio
and Molise: one of sincere affection, a certificate
of great admiration that I am honoured to have
received; not to mention his inexhaustible
availability to give advice and his generosity
in sending me beautiful images of his works
in support of my lessons…
How can I forget the pleasure of having his
company in all occasions in which we would
meet, especially in recent years as I got closer
to the association’s life, his intact irony as well
as his way of always seeming young and full
of enthusiasm, despite the passing of time.
I like to remember him in our last meetings
with the Management Board, tanned as he had
just come back from a mountain trip, with his
warm and blunt laugh in reaction to my
exclamation “You’re a legend!”, or his funny
comments when I would go and greet him
with affection, like you greet a man who in
some way has always been part of your life.
Thank you, Mario, man of light, we will miss
you. But you will undoubtedly continue to be
a part of our lives. It is difficult not to be fascinated by a
charismatic and captivating personality like
that of Mario Bonomo. When in 2016 ASSIL and
AIDI collaborated to establish a cultural and
training course for designers and professionals
that could also tangibly contribute to the
development of a high quality industry, it was
immediately clear that Mario Bonomo would
have become the pillar of the project called
“Formazione in Luce” (Lighting Training).
In the course on lighting works of art,
in museum settings and in churches,
“Illuminazione delle opere d’arte, degli
allestimenti museali e delle chiese”,
Mario Bonomo’s passion and enthusiasm
for the topic emerged very strongly, as well
as his technical and scientific competence
and deep culture. His interventions, where he
showed an undoubted capacity and sensibility
in facing technological evolution and the
challenges of our times, have always been
most appreciated and praised. Thanks to his
teachings we are sure that the new generations
of lighting designers will be able to acquire new
competences, giving special value to quality
and to professionalism, so that their work
will stand out compared to others and will
be more competitive on a national, European,
and worldwide scale.
Maurizio Rossi Margherita Süss
Politecnico di Milano, Head of the Master
in Lighting Design & LED Technology Lighting designer, Studio GMS
President of AIDI 2015-2017
I met Mario at the Polytechnic University
of Milan in the mid Nineties, when Alberto
Seassaro involved him, together with Marinella
Patetta, Pietro Palladino, Roberto Musante
and me, in the group that defined the bases
of the project of the Lighting Laboratory of
the Politecnico di Milano, and his contribution
was fundamental. He collaborated, as a
professor of primary importance, in the first
post graduate specialization courses in
Lighting Design, organized at the Polytechnic
since the Eighties. These courses would
later become the Master course in Lighting
Design & LED Technology.
At the Faculty of Design, he taught Lighting
Design up to 2009 and he was a professor of
the Master course up to a few years ago.
I learnt a lot from him during the courses we
held together at the end of the Nineties and
in the Master course. I saw him recently
on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of AIDI
and we spoke of yesterday, today, and
tomorrow, and of two of our passions: skiing
and lighting design. I remember Mario’s
unequalled competence, his serious attitude,
reliability and ability to be constantly
updated. Since I collaborated with him also
in the didactic field, I remember his realism,
sincerity, and extreme objectivity. In December 2018, AIDI received a heartfelt letter
from Mario Bonomo, in which he expressed his
transparent and sincere thoughts, which were
stated and reaffirmed, as always, with an
unconditioned passion, with regard to the
approach to communication and operations that
the association should have implemented for its
members. To give indications “on how to solve
the most common problems, the simple and
even the complex ones, of the design of light,
not only the artificial one, but also the natural
one, with clear explanations, never self-
referential”, to quote the words he wrote.
All those who knew him know exactly how
much these lines represent him. Because Mario
was a Master, he was good, honest, and always
modest… and yet he could have taught all
of us without any sign of presumption, because
everyone could see the authority he had to do
so. I remember how happy I was on reading
between the lines that there was a very positive
reference to my personal commitment in our
Association, a reference that could only be frank
and sincere. Because Mario would never have
said or written something he did not really
think. Because Mario always made intellectual
honesty his professional code.
He was a Master for many … and for me,
also a truly special and memorable friend.
LUCE / LUCE 329
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