’Candela’: a hypnotic installation illuminates the V&A

The darkest room in the V&A keeps the lights low for the sake of the artwork, but three creatives found another use for the Tapestries Gallery. Product designer Felix de Pass, graphic designer Michael Montgomery and ceramicist Ian McIntire collaborated on a great ceramic wheel that rotates on a pedestal. As it revolves, each sliver of the wheel passes a light source that charges it with energy. The afterglow slowly fades as the light becomes memory, producing a mesmerising ebb and flow of light and pattern. ’Candela’ - named for the unit of light once associated with household candles - was sponsored by Officine Panerai, the watch brand that uses similar phosphorescent effects on its dials.