Umberto Ughi was born and raised in Milan. He learned the foundations of sculpture at the historic Fonderia Artistica Battaglia, where he has been working since 2015.

Umberto joined the foundry after completing his university studies in philosophy in Brighton, driven by the passion for sculpture passed down to him by his sculptor father. At the foundry, he works as a “cerista” and "formatore," responsible for creating the plaster and wax models for the bronze sculptures of many internationally renowned artists, with whom he had the opportunity to work closely together.

Following this professional training, he embarked on a personal exploration of sculptural techniques and materials. His attention has focused on a material with a rich history but which has fallen into disuse for centuries: artificial marble (or scagliola). Made from a mixture of plaster, animal glues, and pigments, scagliola was used as wall cladding inside palaces in the 19th century. It was appreciated for its extraordinary versatility in blending any colour and for the intricate veining effects that allowed the creation of entirely unique marble walls.

Umberto reintroduces scagliola in his sculpture production, redeeming the value of this forgotten material. The sculptures reveal the untapped potential of scagliola thanks to the artist's creativity and mastery in moulding. A rich palette of colours, veining effects, abstract forms, plants, and animals blend harmoniously in the beauty and elegance of marble.

Through his scagliola sculptures, Umberto expresses his artistic vision and craftsmanship. Inspired by the forms of his sculptures, Umberto began to design and create lamps. This new challenge requires complex skill in crafting the lamp frame and covering it with fabrics. The result is unique lamps that create a surprising variety of lights, forms and colours through the interaction of different overlapping fabrics.