Child Studio’s ‘In the Shadow of a Man’ Lighting Collection at Milan Design Week 2017.

During Milan Design Week 2017, Child Studio, headed by Chieh Huang & Alexey Kostikov, presented a collection of sculptural lighting objects that play with the illusion of movement, exploring the perception of reality and fantasy. A series of glowing glass spheres appear to be rolling and sliding from the top of slanted geometric plinths, captured at a point of subtle balance, as if frozen in time. The precarious shapes were designed to create an assuming movement and optical illusion, building a sense of anticipation and suspense.

The object’s shapes and the reflection of the light appear to change when viewed from different angles, inviting the viewer to pause and to reflect on their perception of time within the physical environment.

The collection’s title ‘In the Shadow of a Man’ refers to a quote attributed to the Italian surrealist painter Giorgio De Chirico: “There is much more mystery in the shadow of a man walking on a sunny day, than in all religions in the world.”

The collection was presented in an unassuming location of a historical family-run flower shop ’Ditta Angelo Radaelli’ on via Manzoni in Brera district.

The precarious shapes were designed to create an assuming movement and optical illusion, building a sense of anticipation and suspense. The object’s shapes and the reflection of the light appear to change when viewed from different angles.“We hope this project will invite the viewer to pause and to reflect on their perception of time within the physical environment,” share the designers.

[Images courtesy of Child Studio.]