It takes two: Paul Matter debuts his dancing ’Tango’ lights in India

Based in New Delhi, Nikhil Paul’s opened the doors to his Paul Matter Studio with a debut lighting collection entitled ‘Tango’. The studio’s original and custom lamps, for residential and commercial settings, take cues from mid-century modernism and the Industrial Age. Of course India’s tradition of unassuming craftsmanship and Paul’s own sense of minimalism delivered the chattel.
'We couldn’t find the sort of utilitarian yet elegant lighting that we had in mind. Everything in the market was either extremely product-y or antiques and what we were looking for was something that combined aged materials yet was still minimal and contemporary,' says Paul. If you can’t find it, make it, as they say.
And so ‘Tango’ developed from there – a playful experimentation of geometric forms that float in space all and all with a slight vintage flair. 'Low hanging elbows and beaten brass shades enable fixtures to be artfully arranged and reconfigured to emit soft pools of light,' says Paul. And the name ‘Tango’ is apropos of the Buenos Aires dance melting together rhythm, posture and abrupt pauses.
Hand finished in the studio their belief is in longevity of design in terms of materiality and also in the visual language. 'The pieces draw from a rich material palette that includes buffed and aged brass, copper, stone, leather and glass,' explains Paul. 'These materials get better with time and use and they can be used in their truest form whilst still revealing their layers.'
The studio’s original and custom lamps, for residential and commercial settings, take cues from mid-century modernism and the Industrial Age
Of course India’s tradition of unassuming craftsmanship and Paul’s own sense of minimalism delivered the chattel
'Tango' is a playful experimentation of geometric forms that float in space all and all with a slight vintage flair
The name ‘Tango’ is apropos of the Buenos Aires dance melting together rhythm, posture and abrupt pauses
Hand finished in the studio their belief is in longevity of design in terms of materiality and also in the visual language
INFORMATION
For more information on Paul Matter Studio, visit the website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daniel Scheffler is a storyteller for The New York Times and others. He has a travel podcast with iHeart Media called Everywhere and a Substack newsletter, Withoutmaps, where he shares all his wild ways. He lives in New York with his husband and their pup.
-
Discover Tunisia's Skanès Presidential Palace and the glory of French post-war interiors
In Tunisia, the Skanès Presidential Palace is a stunning display of monumental modernist architecture style - inside and out
-
The alternative art fairs championing emerging artists
The lower barrier to entry to these smaller and specialist art fairs make them hubs of grassroots creativity, allowing emerging names to establish a foothold in the industry
-
The 2025 British Pavilion in Venice offered up a Geology of Britannic Repair
The 2025 British Pavilion in Venice is curated by an Anglo-Kenyan team of architects and designers; titled 'GBR: Geology of Britannic Repair', it explores the landscape of colonialism, its past, present and futures
-
Inside the Shakti Design Residency, taking Indian craftsmanship to Alcova 2025
The new initiative pairs emerging talents with some of India’s most prestigious ateliers, resulting in intricately crafted designs, as seen at Alcova 2025 in Milan
-
'Now, the world is waking up': Vikram Goyal on bringing Indian craftsmanship to the global stage
We talk to Indian craft entrepreneur Vikram Goyal about redefining heritage, innovating with repoussé, and putting Indian craftsmanship on the global map.
-
‘The Indian market has come of age’: Inside Nilaya Anthology, India’s new design destination
Nilaya Anthology – a global design showroom with a distinctly Indian perspective – has opened in Mumbai
-
This ethereal Chennai home is a celebration of Indian craft and culture
Designed by Multitude of Sins, this Chennai home is an artisanal trove of rich texture and secret garden-like design. Wallpaper* speaks with design principal Smita Thomas on crafting the space
-
Indian furniture brand SĀR Studio is putting Pune on the map with a new flagship and residency programme
SĀR Residence, a multi-use concept space, acts as an extension of the Indian furniture brand
-
Pierre Jeanneret and Edward Armitage: tracing design inspiration in Chandigarh
British designer Joe Armitage set off for Chandigarh, India, to trace his grandfather Edward’s footsteps and recreate a photograph of the latter’s ‘Armitage’ lamp. A trail of intrigue around its inspiration lay in wait, as he reveals
-
It’s the first-ever Design Mumbai: here’s what to see
At least 100 international and Indian brands will showcase at Design Mumbai, referencing India’s rich and storied heritage of craftsmanship and highly specialised craft clusters (6-9 November 2024)
-
Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture meets South Asian diasporic art in an unusual London exhibition
Rajan Bijlani opens a show combining Pierre Jeanneret furniture for the Indian city of Chandigarh with works for sale by six artists of South Asian origin – in his own London townhouse