TETRIS CHANDELIER

Candle holder

2023

SHOU SUGI BAN, RED PAINT, METAL INSERTS

VARIOUS SIZES, FOR THREE, FIVE AND SEVEN CANDLES

LIMITED EDITION

AGAIN: FIRE, IN ITS BEAUTY AND DANGER, OPENS UP A SPACE FOR CONTEMPLATING THE TRANSIENT WITHIN THESE BURNT WOODEN CANDLE HOLDERS INSPIRED BY A CENTURIES-OLD JAPANESE TECHNIQUE, TELLS A PROFOUND STORY SOLELY THROUGH THE CHARRED SURFACE. THIS POETIC IDEA EMERGED AFTER THE BURNT-DOWN CANDLES HAD STARTED TO LIGHTLY CHARR THE SURFACE OF THE ROUGH WOODEN PROTOTYPES.

THE THREE SIMPLE, REPEATING BASIC SHAPES MERGE INTO A FASCINATING GEOMETRIC FIGURE CONSTRUCTED ON THE SAME FOUNDATIONAL FORM. TETRIS DAZZLES IN DISTINCT VARIATIONS: FOR THREE, FIVE, OR SEVEN CANDLES ON A TABLE WITH THE FLOOR STANDING CANDELABRA HOLDING UP TO ELEVEN CANDLES. THEY CARRY A RICH HERITAGE, INTER-WEAVING TALES OF TRADITION, ORIGINS, AND A LONGING FOR BEAUTY.

THE CANDLE HOLDERS FIRST CAUGHT ATTENTION AS A PROTOTYPE MADE FROM SCRAP WOOD DURING LAST YEARS KOCHERLBALL, AN ANNUAL TRADITIONAL MUNICH CELEBRATION. EVERY YEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, PEOPLE GATHER SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, BRINGING THEIR PICNICS, CUTLERY, AND CANDLES TO ILLUMINATE THE MANY TABLES OF THE STILL-SLEEPING AND DARK BEER GARDEN. WITH THE FIRST DRINKS SERVED DEEP INTO THE NIGHT, THEY EXPERIENCE THE SUNRISE IN THE MAGICAL LIGHT OF HUNDREDS OF CHANDELIERS AND DANCE INTO THE MORNING DEW. ON THE EVE OF THE CELEBRATION THE STUDIO CRAFTED THREE ROUGH PROTOTYPES OF THE CANDLE HOLDERS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BALL NIGHT. MANY ATTENDEES OF THE BALL WERE SO IMPRESSED BY THESE ROUGH PROTOTYPES THAT THE BEGAN TO PURCHASE THEM DIRECTLY FROM THE TABLE. THIS TRIGGERED THE CREATION OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THE CHANDELIERS.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE

Photography series