MO Lamp

2025

This work was created for Pedal & Senza, a cosmetic manufacturer developing products featuring montmorillonite, a sedimentary clay sourced in Japan.

Due to its ultra-fine particles and swelling properties, montmorillonite is utilized across a vast range of applications, from soil conditioners to sand casting. Yet, despite being woven so deeply into the fabric of our lives, it remains almost entirely invisible. The fractured surface of the raw mineral possesses a unique depth of shadow, a result of its nano-scale composition. To honor this fleeting moment in the mineral's 65-million-year history, I crafted a lighting fixture using the raw stone itself, emphasizing the intricate shadows of its natural cleavage.

The mined raw stone was cut to accommodate a custom lighting unit. A light source is concealed behind an aluminum plate shade, with a movable arm allowing for precise adjustment of the beam. As the angle of light shifts, the expression of the stone's texture undergoes a delicate transformation. Montmorillonite, a material that rarely steps into the spotlight of daily life, is here illuminated, emerging vividly from the darkness.

Material: montmorillonite, aluminum, LED

Size: variable