New Volumes of Light – Spun Series by Umut Yamac
Spun Prism by Umut Yamac. Copper, Mercerised cotton, Stainless steel
British architect, sculptor and designer Umut Yamac works with a refined, minimal language, exploring the intersections between light, movement and space. Some of his three-dimensional objects explore how volume can be created through acts of tension suspended in air, while others are functional lights that respond to bodily movement and human touch, illuminating and transforming space as we move through it.
Yamac’s series of sculptures titled Spun Prism play with taut strings brought together into elegantly structured sculptures, or what he calls “tension pieces.” Long, thin strands of cord are pulled tight into triangular structures that nest one over the other, intersecting and interacting with one another and the space that breathes through them. Holding them in place are thin strip lights and weighted elements that are neatly integrated into the design. Yamac displays these works suspended from the ceiling at eye level, encouraging viewers to walk around them and experience a prismatic diffusion of light as it passes through the strings, causing a mesmerising ‘moire’ effect in the eye.
Spun Halo by Umut Yamac. Brass, polyester, stainless steel
The large sculpture Spun Halo continues with the exploration into tension, bringing an impressive 600 metres of thread into an intricately woven construction. Two intersecting, conical volumes are created by pulling thread taut over brass rings of light, while a counterweight at the bottom holds them in place. The resulting effect is confusing and disorientating as the strings of each volume shimmer and appear to cross over one another, making it almost impossible to discern where one ends and the other begins. A new, triangular volume emerges where the two forms intersect, as Yamac explains, “The criss-crossing threads create what appears to be a new volume within the light.”
Other works by Yamac explore our intimate relationship to light and the ways it can interact intuitively to our living spaces. Bloom is an elegant floor lamp with a brass base and a head made from lightweight panels of intricately folded paper, translating the ancient Japanese craft of origami into functional design. The head of the flower moves slowly to follow the natural patterns of daylight, much like a real plant, but it also responds to the movement of people, spinning around like a fan as they pass by.
Spun Prism by Umut Yamac. Copper, Mercerised cotton, Stainless steel
The series of six lamps titled Perch Light are also crafted from paper, precisely folded by Yamac into sophisticated, elongated bird forms. A balancing act is created with weighted elements of brass at the bird’s beak and tail, while they are responsive to touch, swinging back and forth with gentle movement when tapped. Elegant and refined, these sculptural lights capture the spirited character of birds, synonymous with spring, flight and freedom, and bring it out into the spaces they inhabit. “For me, the bird is a symbol of freedom and a creature that many people have an emotional connection with”, Yamac explains. “They are both familiar and mysterious and I thought it was interesting to combine balance with something recognisable that also functions as a light source and room decor.”
Spun Beam by Umut Yamac. Patinated brass, thread, stainless steel
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