New York architect and designer Jes Paone has created a collection of lights in collaboration with his aunt, the ceramicist Anne Paone, which feature cracked, wobbly porcelain shades.
The Desert series comprises seven variations, ranging from table and pendant lamps to sconces with contrasting brass fixings.
Through their crevices, which are reminiscent of dried-out river beds or burnt, ashen tree bark, the semi-translucent lights emit an eery, red-tinged glow.
The Desert Silo lamp is partially translucent
Instead of relying on a mould, Anne Paone threw the organic shapes by hand while her nephew, who admits to having "no skills on the wheel", directed the overall appearance.
This process, which was perfected by the duo over a matter of years, yields a unique result every time and no two lights, whether the spherical pendants or the cocoon-shaped sconces, are ever alike.
"Making the textured porcelain into globes and shades required expert wheel technique, a most delicate touch and the patience to fail completely over and over again," Jes Paone explained.
"The really inconceivable part is the way in which we got to the transparency, which all came from Anne. I kept pushing for more glow, more wobbles and she kept experimenting and trying to give me what I was looking for."
Cracks and crevices in the exterior are highlighted when illuminated
"We used water jet cutting to custom-make clamps, gimbals and spacers," Jes Paone said.
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