Desk lamp
This project is based on spiny creatures. Therefore, my attitude to the light fixtures was inspired and shaped by the ways in which living creatures operate, with their unique characteristics and nature. The human spine is rife with nerves, which ‘wire’ the spine. This unique structure makes the spine a central ’power line’ of the body, which is connected to the chief power source: the brain.
Stimulated by this visual notion, I chose to leave the power cables externally visible while the head of the creature stands out and functions as the main power core, much like the brain. The lamp's head was made using a lathe. In the process of working on the design, I discovered that rays of light can pass through the thinner area of the Pinewood. A similar phenomenon occurs in the human skin.
Spine
Research
At first, I received from my lecturers an X-Ray image of a cat. The first thing I did was to analyze the shapes, patterns, and essence of the image.
Research
I was asked to make a functioning object. To do so, I took a 3D model of a human spine and attached three horns to it. As a result, a small fork for cakes was born. After observing the shape and character of the fork, I started thinking about prehistoric creatures with spinal structures that resemble those of the human spine. At that point, I began doing 3Dmodelling, by using Autodesk Meshmixer software, in an attempt to create creatures with spinal motives.
Light is a basic element in our lives. The Homo Erectous learned to use fire thousands of years ago, at about 7000bc, thus enabling the evolution process which eventually brought Homo Sapiens into existence. Therefore, I saw fit to make this connection between the light and those prehistoric creatures. Working on this project has shown me that you can tell a whole story just by a single object.
Spiny Larva
The Larva concept was meant to emphasize the electric elements of the spine. Therefore, I chose to make visible the electric elements in their utmost bare form. The LEDs were soldered to the wires, which were skinned to the bone, showing the electric system in their most exposed and vulnerable state.
Transparent lamp
The bulk of the work involved in producing the lamp was the lathe work. It was based on the transition of the light through the wood. I chose to use Pine Wood for the job because of its low-density levels, which enables transparency. This choice did not come without a struggle: due to the softness of the wood, it kept breaking over and over again as I was trying to stretch it to the edge of its capacity limit and reach the minimal wall thickness that allows maximum transparency. The cylinders processed in the lathe could have been replaced by veneer, making the production process much easier. However, it was important for me to dig inside the wood block with the lathe tools as part of connecting and familiarizing myself with the wood while sticking to the Truth of the Material.
