Ceramic and Glass Lamps With Playful Personalities
By Gisela Williams
The Swiss artist Carmen D’Apollonio primarily makes sculptural lamps whose globular clay bases often cling to the corner of a table, their shades askew. She considers each one a character. This week, she’s debuting a new collection at Friedman Benda’s New York gallery, many of which feature glass lampshades. D’Apollonio says she likes that the material “drips and is unpredictable.” One of the new pieces looks like a glass mushroom; another resembles a person wearing a hat bent toward the ground, or maybe a drooping, bell-shaped flower on a thick black arched stem. Another new work incorporates fabric (D’Apollonio, who’s based in Los Angeles, was previously a fashion designer) stuffed to create a massive pillow in the shape of two legs, which forms the base of a wall-mounted light. “It’s my new baby,” says D’Apollonio. “Carmen D’Apollonio: Salut, Ça Va, C’est Moi” will be on view at Friedman Benda New York from Sept. 11 through Oct. 16, friedmanbenda.com.
