Louis Poulsen, the world-renowned Danish lighting brand, has unveiled a new large pendant light for Milan Design Week with Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. Inspired by the relationship between mathematical forms, the OE Quasi Light creates light through geometric shapes, embodying the common belief of Louis Poulsen and Eliasson that good lighting makes a good life.
The light from this lamp consists of two contrasting geometric shapes superimposed on each other. The outer layer, made of a rigid aluminum frame, is designed in the shape of a 20-sided body (20 faces and 12 vertices), and inside it contains the shape of a 12-sided body (12 faces and 20 vertices) as if it were floating, which allows for sphere light distribution.
In addition, a bright LED light is embedded in the vertices of the 20-sided aluminium beams the light towards the center of the lamp, illuminating the white pentagonal outer plate made of polycarbonate. The complex geometric shapes of these lights are perceived differently depending on where they are observed, so interpretations and perspectives can vary infinitely depending on the viewer.
"I am very pleased to collaborate with Louis Poulsen to bring my long-standing passion for geometry and lighting to life with the OE Quasi Light. This product sets itself apart from other lamps in that it shines light in the direction of the center and illuminates the surroundings with light reflected from the center. These lamps combine design precision and high-quality spatial lighting in a single form." Olafur Eliasson says.
Eliasson's interest in polyhedra, spheres and curves has led him to years of research on geometry with his studio team, which has led him to develop a passion for creating alternatives that will help replace the orthogonal thinking that dominates modern architecture, art and design, and neutralize the elements that dull our senses. And the concern for how the environment affects our sensibilities and bodies is at the heart of Eliasson's lamps designed for Louis Poulsen. Louis Poulsen has always devoted his passion to creating light that harmonizes with its surroundings and at the same time has a positive impact on the viewer. And this time, together with Eliasson, we've created a product that demonstrates how good light can make a good life.
At the heart of OE Kwasilite is sustainability. 100% of our aluminium is recyclable, and everything else is recycled or reused. In addition, OE Kwasi Light is designed to be sustainable, taking into account that it will be dismantled in the future for replacement and recycling of parts.
"Two years ago, we approached Olafur Eliasson to design a new product for Louis Poulsen, and the result was excellent. OE Kwasi Light is an inspirational product, and it is deliberately designed to inspire those around you," says Søren Mygind Eskildsen, CEO of Louis Poulsen. "Louis Poulsen has been designing lighting for more than 2 years now, and our mission is to create lighting that goes beyond just lighting up a room. Good light is functional, beautiful, and, above all, it interacts with its surroundings and changes the environment. I believe that Eliasson's OE Kwasi Light will remain a part of Louis Poulsen's illustrious legacy and history and, like any of our products, will create a good light for all."
About Louis Poulsen
Founded in 1874, Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen creates products that incorporate the two elements of design and lighting. Every detail in the design has a purpose. Every design begins with light and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a wide range of lighting fixtures aimed at the commercial and home lighting markets, with lighting fixtures and solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments. Louis Poulsen has established itself as a key supplier of architectural and decorative lighting worldwide, in close partnership with renowned designers and architects such as Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and GamFratesi, and has dedicated showrooms worldwide, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, Singapore, Miami, Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Düsseldorf.
About Olafur Eliasson
Born in 1967, Olafur Eliasson (Iceland/Denmark) has pursued a wide range of passions, including installation art, painting, sculpture, photography, and film. Since 1997, his solo shows have begun to appear in major museums around the world. For artistic practice, we are involved in arts education, policymaking, and sustainable growth and climate change. Eliasson's projects in public include The New York City Waterfalls, 2008, Your rainbow panorama, 2006–11; Ice Watch, 2014; And then there's Fjordenhus, Vejle, 2018 and others. In 2012, Eliasson founded Little Sun, a social enterprise that manufactures solar lamps for communities without electricity, and in 2014, he co-founded Studio Other Spaces for Art and Architecture in collaboration with Sebastian Behmann. olafureliasson.net
August 2019 Press Release