Barber Osgerby present ‘Signals’ at Galerie Kreo
The ‘Signals’ collection of floor, wall and ceiling lamps features aluminium bases and Venini glass cones (on view until 26 March 2022)
Taking inspiration from the shape of the cone, British designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have designed a series of lamps, presented in a new solo show at London’s Galerie Kreo. Titled ‘Signals’, the Barber Osgerby exhibition comprises floor, wall, and pendant lamps made of aluminium and glass.
‘There is something about the cone that we often return to,’ says Barber. ‘There’s an energy in its form,’ adds Osgerby. ‘In technical drawing, orthographic projection makes use of the conical form to define the view of the object we are drawing. It is a code that is deeply embedded in our minds.’
Each lamp consists of an aluminium box that forms the design’s base, onto which conical glass cones are attached. Each of the colourful glass shades is mouth-blown by master craftsmen at the Venini workshops in Murano, Venice. ‘There’s a tension between the industrial and the artisanal elements of the lamps, which we call engineered craft,’ explains Osgerby. ‘We’re always trying to work in this space between the sketch and the machine.’
The collection is defined by bold, tertiary colours, made brighter by the light shining through the glass shapes – an approach that fits with Barber Osgerby’s ongoing preoccupation with colour composition.
The lamps’ shapes, the designers note, are reminiscent of old-school audio equipment and dystopian, Cold War-era sci-fi designs, their rigorous construction softened by the glass, colour and light. ‘These are technical objects and we haven’t tried to soften them by adding curves or further refinement,’ continues Osgerby. ‘They're bold, monolithic objects, but those qualities then contrast against the core crafted forms that emit light.’
The ‘Signals’ collection summarises some of the ongoing topics of research of the studio, from manufacturing techniques to more complex explorations of forms. The cone, for instance, is chosen as a shape that is both ideal for the transmission of light, as well as a shape that ‘encourages reception’, as the eye can process colour information thanks to cone-shaped cells. ‘They are the ideal shape to transmit and receive information,’ says Barber. ‘They invite engagement.’
The lamps’ elegant aesthetic is made more contemporary by details such as the oversized buttons on the aluminium bases, and the fact that the glass shades can be moved to shift the light’s glow.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
‘“Signals” is a continuation of themes that have been evolving in the background of our work for some time,’ concludes Osgerby. ‘It encompasses engineered craft, our love of Venini glass and colour, and our enjoyment of working with light to change a space.’
INFORMATION
‘Signals’ is on view at Galerie Kreo until 26 March 2022
galeriekreo.com
barberosgerby.com
ADDRESS
24 Cork Street
W1S 3NG London
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which features a 1990s-inspired riff on the G-Wagon
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published
-
Cathay Pacific’s new business class Aria Suites take flight
Cathay Pacific raises the bar for business-class travel with the launch of the much-anticipated Aria Suites
By Lauren Ho Published