Meteorite is a modular and sculptural light that sits floor to ceiling. It can be fitted to any room height or space. The piece is made of stackable and modular components made from powder coated, spun aluminium, tubular aluminium, dimmable LED lighting technology and opaque white acrylic diffuser discs. The components are scalable and could be produced to suit both smaller residential homes and larger commercial spaces. The sculptural form is inspired by the trajectory of a meteorite’s fall from outer space and the transformation into cone-like shapes as it passes through earth’s atmospheric layers and eventually collides with the earth’s surface. Meteorites entering the Earth’s atmosphere encounter intense heat that melts, erodes and reshapes them into cone-like, aerodynamic forms that aid their travel towards Earth.
The varying angles of the cone-shaped meteorites dictate the direction and flight path in which the cones travel. At 35 degrees, the cone will travel through atmospheric layers in a straight line whereas a cone with an 80 degree angle will fall from side to side. The light is a poetic response to these dynamic encounters and refers subtly to speed, light, geometry, physics and transmutation. Along with drawing inspiration from these events, the design speaks to the notion of adapting and changing form to optimize circumstances in flux. Unlike any other time we have lived through, humans are being forced to shapeshift and adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions. These past two years have forced us to adapt and change our lives dramatically to survive as a species. Frighteningly, this may be asked of us more and more as we move further into climate change and resulting ramifications on our planet. Both metaphorically and literally speaking, we are being forced to shapeshift and adapt swiftly. This piece offers a metaphor for the audience to consider our position on the planet and to provoke ideas pointing towards conscientious and adaptive ways of living and being.
The scale of the object has its own effect in a space, felt and seen only by standing next to it. The piece towers over a human and has an effect of making one feel small. This tangible and physical experience of scale supports the conceptual premise of the work by reminding us how small and vulnerable we are as humans on the planet. The cones meet at a central point as do two colour spectrums which indirectly suggests a moment of impact, perhaps a meeting of atmospheric conditions and a meeting of ideas. The geometry is repetitive, a recurring design strategy used within my overall body of work where repetition of shapes and subtle chromic shifts illuminate the theatricality and performative aspect of design objects within domestic space.
Team:
Designers: Danielle Brustman & Edward Linacre
Photographer: Jonathon Griggs
