Abajour

“When I moved to Toronto, one of the first things I noticed was the way the city residents discard things by leaving them on the sidewalks in front of their houses.
Walking the streets, I observed the quality of these jilted objects; many of them were perfectly functional, useful, even beautiful. I began collecting pieces, and a common theme quickly emerged – vases. Vases of various shapes and colors, all made of glass, some refracting light like crystal. Observing how light passed through each one, I had an idea: Why not transform them into lamps?

“Realizing that the possibilities for artistic expression with lamps was as diverse as the variety of vases I found, I aimed to build a universal system that would transform each vase into a unique lamp. The system would attach to the diameter of the vase and enable the installment of an electrical cable and a light bulb, allowing the vase to light up. The challenge was to create a lampshade around the vase without obscuring its singular features. This led me to consider 3D printing to design a nesting system that would integrate any type of vase so that it remained the centerpiece of the lamp.

“The resulting lamp takes its form from the shape of the vase, enclosed by a 3D-printed mesh that subtly reveals the vase within. When illuminated, it gives a holographic effect, like looking into the lamp’s soul.

“Each lamp, with its distinct shape and attributes, is the product of a marriage between uniqueness and uniformity. When the vase, with all of its particularities, meets the universal 3D-printed system that converts it into a lamp, what was originally a discarded piece of someone’s home can be seen in a new light.”

— Valentin Van Ravestyn, artist