Nicolette de Waart

My travels across Asia, while living in Singapore, sparked a deep fascination with local

traditions and crafts. The Japanese lanterns, or 'Chochin', were a significant influence in the

creation of the Berry lamp. These traditional handcrafted lanterns, dating back to 1085 in

China and Japan, are skillfully crafted from paper or silk, featuring a wooden or bamboo

frame. I sought to honour these centuries-old traditions while infusing them with a new

perspective, playing with light, shadows, and their reflections.

The Berry lamp is my tribute to the enduring beauty of the Chochin tradition, a delicate yet

functional piece of art. Crafted mainly from natural materials and by hand, it is both

featherlight and solid. The intentional contrast between its visual weight and actual lightness

is designed to surprise and intrigue those who interact with it.

Intrigued by organic shapes and natural materials, I began experimenting with

paper-kneaded balls. I also saw a resemblance to the outlines of a tactile Berry fruit with its

conical pattern originating thousands of years ago in Asia.

The Beauty of Imperfections

In nature, imperfections hold a unique beauty. Take the blackberry, for example; it may

appear to have a perfect, conical shape, but upon closer inspection, you'll notice an irregular

pattern that gives each berry its distinct character. Inspired by this, I decided to embrace and

exaggerate the asymmetry, creating my Irregular, Imperfect Berry Lamps. True perfection

lies in maximising variety rather than symmetry. Each lamp I create is one-of-a-kind and

follows no specific pattern, but my intuition drives it. During the creation process, I navigate

through irregularly shaped paper balls to achieve an organic unity, much like how animals

adapt to their natural environments.

To create a symbiotic relationship between my design's inner and outer structure shell while

simultaneously strengthening the object, I decided to add an outer layer of

fabric to make it as durable and tactile as leather. The contrast between its appearance and

feel creates a striking, unexpected effect. More importantly, with this layer, rays of light and

the reflections of the balls create a diffused and intriguing pattern when the light is on. When

off, the Berry Lamp is a sculpted piece of Art.

It is a work of Art, yet it serves a practical purpose. As a nod to the origin of 'Chochin,' rays

of light radiate through and from below, creating an illusion of levitation above the floor. The

lamp is delicately anchored to the ground by three handmade, bronze-patinated wooden

legs, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic appeal.