Ishigaki Lamp #3, 2021

The Tiss-Tiss series, created by Japanese-French design duo Aki+Arnaud, uses a minimalist aesthetic to succinctly explore the conceptual relationship between man, material and nature.

Ishigaki Lamp #1, #2 and #3 stand apart from the Tiss-Tiss series visually but continue its material and conceptual themes, combining the harshness of metal with the fragile poetry of fabric. In this instance, the metal and fabric elements are both included in the composition separately, rather than unified into the trompe-l’oeil effect of the aluminium Tiss-Tiss furniture. A metal and epoxy-carbon base supports a bamboo stem and a fixed linen lampshade, dyed in subtle shades of blue.

The Ishigaki table lamps were inspired by Arnaud’s freediving experiences off the coast of Ishigaki island, south of Japan. The lamp’s light is projected upwards from a bulb in the base, through the lampshade, producing a mesmerising shadow on the ceiling, representative of the small circle of sunlight on the ocean’s surface as viewed from many meters underwater. The dappled combination of colour and material creates an abstract intersection of fabric, liquid, and light. The lamp’s verticality depicts the increased pressure of the ocean’s depths, as it becomes increasingly solid towards its metallic, coral-inspired, base.