Lighting is more than a matter of function and mood, especially when created in collaboration with top architects and designers. As in the case of those manufactured by Italian lighting expert Artemide since it was founded in 1959. In addition to winning awards, Artemide creations are also famous for finding their way into the permanent collections of museums.
Seven collectible pieces, available here within the next two months, will appeal to art lovers with differing passions.
1. The Dancer
Inspired by Turkey’s whirling dervishes, Swiss-based Atelier Oi’s Les Danseuses suspension lamp twirls and flares its shade like the skirt of a dancer. All thanks to an engine mounted on its suspension, the interplay of light and movement of the fabric changes with the speed of the rotations, animating the environment with gentle light projections. Laser-cut incisions in the fabric lampshade and a lighter hued underside all contribute to the play of light. Les Danseuses is available in three colour variants: Blue/light blue, green/ochre, and violet/purple.
2. The Car Collector
Pendant lamp Ameluna resembles a bio-luminescent creature from the sea, thanks to its asymmetric shape, a cutting-edge optoelectronic system integrated in the transparent frame, as well as 228 LED lights within the bottom rim. The high-end variant additionally comes with a separate light source in various colours, which generates the familiar ambiance of light from Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The name Ameluna is a combination of the two brands — Italian lighting expert Artemide and German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz — who collaborated on the lamp, plus luna, the Italian word for “moon”. Ameluna may also be controlled from an app and dimmed.
3. The Nature Lover
The brainchild of UK industrial designer and artist Ross Lovegrove, Florensis resembles an upwardly aspiring bud complete with veins and apertures that diffuse both light and heat. Utilising LED technology, the floral shaped lamp orientates the light upward and outward to cast a room in warm white light. Florensis comes in dimmable floor and wall versions.
4. The Reader
The popular Demetra range now offers a table lamp and wall version with arm. Named Demetra Micro, of offers flexibility of directing a warm light across a given space. Its minimal size makes it ideal for small work or home spaces. Designed by famed Japanese architect Naoto Fukasawa, the lamp is available in grey, polished black and white.
5. The Globetrotter
The milky white blown glass of the Laguna series recall the water, mist and light around the lagoons of Venice. Designed by architect Matteo Thun (one of the co-founders of the Memphis Group movement), it illuminates the surrounds and casts a soft spotlight on nearby surfaces. Three sizes are available in versions for the table, floor, ceiling and suspension.
6. The Vintage Lover
This one is museum-worthy. Designed by Pritzker-laureate Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, it was conceived for the Musée Unterlinden in Colmar, France, which the firm extended in 2016. Combining the aesthetic charm of a vintage object with high technology and engineering, the lamp is powered by a COB LED that directs a flow of continuous light via a polymeric lens while its shade — die-cast in either aluminium or brass — has a ribbed, vintage patina.
7. The Minimalist
Pendant light Orsa brings to mind an upturned flared cocktail glass. A piece of precision engineered art made by Artemide in collaboration with the industrial team at Foster + Partners (the design practice behind Singapore’s Supreme Court and South Beach), the minimalist lamp, which resembles a floating disk of light, may be used alone, or as part of a larger ensemble.
The Artemide collection is available exclusively at Million Lighting.
203 Kallang Bahru; Tel: 6743 2033; showrooms@millionlighting.com; Facebook.com/millionlighting/
This article is brought to you by Million Lighting.
