Articles

Light Mantle

Following its previous project ‘Wireshade’, Studio Marc Trotereau presents the result of an on going research about artificial light and the notion of light shade.

‘Light Mantle’ is a first series of three handmade lights based on the principle of hard lampshade making. Interested in how a light source can be shaped by creating a thin and insignificant skin around it, I intent to create some lightweight object that can sculpt light.

The lampshade appeared to be an attractive making process that involves the creation of a strong, delicate and weightless structure. Even if lampshades may appear trivial and common in our daily life, they are unnoticed and yet familiar objects that can be an exciting way to shape light.

I am fascinated by the fact that the insubstantiality of the object does not matter. I believe its strength comes from something similar to the ‘infra slim’ vision of Duchamp that corresponds to the precise moment the light touches the skin of the shade.

Lampshades are usually limited to simple straightforward shapes such as drum, candle, bell… Here below, three interpretations of the lampshade by assembling some unique and uncommon geometrical shapes. That series is a starting point of a design research to create some even more complex and impressive enlightened sculptures.

Dimensions: approx. 50 cm diameter x 50 cm high. Galvanized steel plain rings, PVC backing and 100% cotton fabric.