January 4, 2021
Two Studios Explore Light Fixtures that Deliver a Primal Glow
Designers at Hennepin Made and Ladies & Gentlemen have launched lighting products inspired by early and earthy forays in the art of illumination.
Handmade objects awaken our senses and help connect us to our surroundings. Such is the guiding principle of Hennepin Made, a Minneapolis-based glassblowing studio and lighting manufacturer founded by Jackson Schwartz and Joe Limpert in 2011. Crafted from molten glass ladled into a mold, the new Bruma sconce is a thick, textured disc and the studio’s first fixture made of cast glass. Inspired by the qualities of ice, the bubblelike surface contributes to the warm, dramatic glow, which creates a celestial halo around the sconce. Available in two sizes and four wood finishes, Bruma is a versatile option that can be grouped together or placed individually.
What happens when illumination is reduced to its most elemental form? Brooklyn, New York–based lighting studio Ladies & Gentlemen explores this question with Lightscape, a limited-edition candleholder designed to elevate the flame it holds. “We see the potential for our objects to celebrate a ritual or make someone look twice at something,” cofounder Dylan Davis explains. “In the case of the candle, [that means] to take stock of what’s wonderful and intrinsic about a flame, and how it interacts with the space around you.” Inspired by László Moholy-Nagy’s Light-Space Modulator (1930), the object features an intersecting composition of perforated and polished metal that subtly obscures the glow. The result is a dynamic interplay of shadows and light.
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