2017 | borosilicate glass, mahagony, paper, bronze | lampworking, calligraphy | 32×18×18cm
This light object was inspired by chōchin – the Japanese paper lantern used as traditional lighting for centuries.
I first encountered chōchin during my exchange stay in Toyama and was immediately drawn to its gentle, non-blinding light. At first, I wanted only to capture the atmosphere it created, but later I also reinterpreted its shape. In traditional chōchin, the bamboo frame forms the outer layer; in my version, the principle is reversed – paper becomes the inner core, encased in thin glass. By removing the wooden stick at the bottom, the paper scroll can be easily replaced, allowing the lamp to change its appearance according to the user’s wishes. This idea was also influenced by tokonoma, the alcove in traditional Japanese houses where a scroll (kakemono) with a haiku and a flower arrangement are displayed and regularly renewed to reflect the season. For this piece, the calligraphy on the scroll was created by Yukiko Taima.
