Danish lighting brand Louis Poulsen unveiled a large pendant light at Milan Design Week in collaboration with Olafur Eliasson, one of the leading artists of the contemporary art scene. Inspired by geometric forms, this OE Quasi Light (OE Quasi Crystal = Quasicrystalline is the origin of the word Kwazi) emits a beautiful light in a crystal-like form, deeply impressing the idea shared by Louis Poulsen and Eliasson that Good Light = Good Life.
The light is created by two geometric forms like crystals facing each other, one outside and one inside. The outer solid aluminum frame is icosahydronic with 2 vertices. On the other hand, the object floating in the frame is a regular dodecahedron (dodecahydron, a shape with 12 faces and 12 vertices) that reflects light in all directions.
Behind the 12 vertices of the aluminum frame is an embedded LED light source, which emits light towards the dodecahedron floating inside. The 12 faces are pentagonal and consist of white flakes made of polycarbonate. The beauty and wonder of light emitted by complex geometric shapes are perceived in various ways depending on the position of the viewer, creating infinite interpretation and perspective.
"I am thrilled that my long-standing interest in geometry and light has come to fruition in collaboration with Louis Poulsen as OE Kwazilite. This lamp combines exquisite design with quaint advanced lighting engineering." Artist Olafur Eliasson says:
Eliasson's interest in polyhedra, spheres and curves stems from his studio's desire to find forms that would free the human senses from the paralysis of the senses, creating alternatives to the rigid thinking dominant in contemporary architecture, art and design, as seen in the years of exploration of geometry by his studio team.
Increasing interest in the emotional and physical effects of the environment is at the heart of Eliasson's lamp for Louis Poulsen. So far, Louis Poulsen has created many lamps that harmonize with the environment and have a positive effect on the viewer. The OE Kwazilite is a work that shows how Good Light is connected to the Good Life.
Another element of OE Kwazilite is sustainability. The aluminum used is 100% recycled, while the other materials are fully recyclable. Designed to be disassembled for parts replacement and recycling, OE Kwazilite was developed with long life in mind.
"More than two years ago, we enlisted the help of Olafur Eliasson to build a new lamp for Louis Poulsen, and the results have been fantastic. OE Kwajilite is an inspirational product. It's an ambitious design that exhilarates from its very existence," says Søren Muggin Eskildsen, CEO of Louis Poulsen. "Louis Poulsen has been working with light for over 2 years, and the challenge has always been the same: to create a light that doesn't just light up a room. Good light is functional and beautiful, but the most important thing is that it interacts with the environment and creates a better environment. I believe Eliasson's OE kwazilites will become part of Louis Poulsen's tradition and history, joining the rest of our iconic product line, and creating great light for all."
About Olafur Eliasson
Artist Olafur Eliasson (b. 1967 in Copenhagen) is one of the leading figures in the contemporary art scene, working in a wide range of media, including installation, painting, sculpture, photography and film. Eliasson's exhibitions have been held in major museums around the world since 1997, with The Weather Project at London's Tate Modern in 2003 being well known. He also works with arts education, policymaking, and sustainability and climate change issues. Eliasson's public space projects include New York City Waterfall (2008), Your Rainbow Panorama (2006–2011), The Ice Clock (2014), and Fjord House, Vejle (2018). In 2012, Eliasson founded Little Sun, a social business that makes small solar lamps for communities without a power grid. Also in 2014, together with architect Sebastian Behman, he founded Studio Other Spaces, an office for art and architecture.
olafureliasson.net
About Louis Poulsen
Founded in 1874, Danish luminaire manufacturer Louis Poulsen continues to create products that pursue both design and light. Every detail of a design has a role, and every design begins and ends with light. Louis Poulsen provides both indoor and outdoor lighting solutions worldwide for residential, architectural and landscape applications. Through close partnerships with designers and architects such as Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øyvin Slott, Alfred Hohmann, Shoichi Uchiyama, Oki Sato and Gumfratesi, Louis Poulsen has established itself as one of the world's leading lighting brands, and has established itself in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Miami, With showrooms in Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Düsseldorf, the company operates globally.