Leave it to the Haas Brothers to turn a lamp into a conversation piece, which is certainly the case with Small Sloan (2016), a striking work by the duo currently on view in Uncanny Valley at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). Crafted from blown glass, aluminum tiles, and electrical lighting components, the piece blurs the line between functional lighting and contemporary sculpture.
At first glance, Small Sloan resembles a strange organism rising from the ocean floor. Its reflective aluminum body branches upward into graceful, elongated stems that support clusters of delicate blown-glass forms. When illuminated, the translucent glass catches and diffuses the light, casting shimmering reflections that ripple across the surrounding walls and giving the sculpture an almost otherworldly glow. Continue reading Eye On Design: The Haas Brothers’ Small Sloan Sculptural Lamp→
At this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), one of the softest and most dreamlike lighting designs I encountered was the Eos Sante table lamp by Umage. The lamp combines a slender, almost impossibly delicate stem with a broad circular base, creating a silhouette that feels both airy and grounded. But the real showstopper is the shade — a voluminous cloud of feathers that immediately brought to mind the puffball top of a dandelion moments before it drifts into the wind. Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Eos Sante Table Lamp By Umage→
One of the things I love most about contemporary design is when an object refuses to immediately explain itself. Is it functional? Is it sculpture? Is it furniture? Is it all three? That was exactly my reaction when I encountered this illuminated standing lamp, appropriately called Sail Lamp (2025) by Swiss artist Urs Fischer, which transforms what appears to be crushed or draped material into an elegant glowing tower of light. Continue reading Eye On Design: Urs Fischer’s Sculptural Sail Lamp→
I keep a fairly extensive archive of photos from the past two decades spent exploring the city’s galleries. Time has a way of slipping by before I can feature something I love in what might be considered a timely manner — but there’s no rule against circling back to a standout piece that still feels worth sharing.
Case in point: these luminous, candy-colored chandeliers, which have been were replaced by a different lighting installation since I first spotted them two summers ago at Petzel Gallery on West 25th Street. They’ve lingered in my memory ever since — impossible to forget and far too striking to leave unseen. Now feels like the right moment to finally give them their due: glowing sculptures that read like a constellation, hovering somewhere between chandelier, artwork, and dream. Continue reading Eye On Design: Floating Color – Jorge Pardo’s Lightworks at Petzel Gallery→
Sometimes a lamp is more than just lighting — it’s sculpture, tribute, and design statement all in one. That’s exactly what drew my attention to the Ellsworth Lamp when I first encountered it at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in 2023.
Designed by Brooklyn-based artist and designer Hannah Bigeleisen, the Ellsworth Lamp represents a pivotal moment in her creative practice. Originally trained as a sculptor, Bigeleisen began experimenting with functional objects, and the Ellsworth became one of her first lighting designs — a piece that bridges the worlds of fine art and everyday utility. Continue reading Eye On Design: Ellsworth Lamp By Hannah Bigeleisen→
