Design: ABYU Feathered Lighting Fixtures

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We’ve all heard the axiom ‘there’s nothing new in design, it’s all just elements arranged and viewed differently.’ I would say I’m inclined to agree 98% of the time.

But every now and then you come across an alchemist who squarely fits into the 2% category of designers who truly create something utterly and completely new.

When I met Steven Wine, the creative genius behind ABYU Lighting, 20 odd years ago while he was working at the Heller Gallery I knew he would become one of those characters – his completely irreverent and quintessentially zany world perspective positioned him for uniqueness. From his first recycled detergent bottle lamps to his latest plumed light fixtures his witty personality is omnipresently evident.

I visited his atelier last week with our design editor Carl Lana, and had a first hand look at 3 of his latest creations.

LA CAGE (Left: FILETE’, Right: SUSPENDU) 9″ diameter x 15″ high

The ‘Filete’ fixture features a small hand dyed feather shade that is suspended from a stainless steel ‘centering’ rod by a matching silk covered cord that’s been threaded through an acrylic dome to hold the shade in place. There’s a circular hole which echos the dome in the front of the fixture to access the on/off pull chain for the single LED bulb beneath the shade.

In the ‘Suspendu’ fixture the hand dyed feather shade is suspended in an acrylic tube by a matching silk cord that has been knotted to hold the shade in place.

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TWEET LAMPS 7″ diameter x 13″ high

The new ‘Tweet’ lamp is Wine’s first foray into 3D printed ceramic bases (printed, glazed and fired) with handmade custom dyed and assembled shades. They are lit by 1 LED candelabra bulb.

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FOG Hanging fixture 36″ diameter x 22′ high

And perhaps my favorite of Wine’s new fixtures is the ‘Fog’ – a suspended clear acrylic ‘double dome’ with white goose feathers trapped between the 2 layers. The piece is lit by one large half silvered bulb. You have to see it in person to understand how magically luminous it is.

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There are many more fixtures (and other furnishings) available from ABYU, you can visit their website to see the collection, or schedule a visit (I think seeing these fixtures in person is a must) by contacting Steven Wine – his email address is steven@abyulighting.com.