bocci’s new glass blown pendant light ‘100’ is unveiled at milan design week 2021

the piece will be exhibited in a private milanese apartment

canadian design and research studio bocci brought together multiple glass artists within the glass studio in a performative act to create the new pendant light ‘100’. molten glass bubbles are prepared individually, then smashed together to produce irregular interlocking glass forms. the piece will be shown during milan design week 2021 in an intimate setting within carwan gallery founder nicolas bellavance-lecompte’s private milanese apartment. it will be exhibited alongside a curated selection of objects designed by omer arbel, creative director and co-founder of bocci.

all images courtesy of bocci

the most fascinating complexity is concealed inside the volume

‘for 100 we developed a method to make fascinating shapes but realized the most interesting complexity remains hidden inside the volume‘ explains arbel, creative director and co-founder of bocci. ‘we’ve been developing new methods for making forms for many years and routinely cutting prototypes to learn about what’s happening inside but it occurred to us that the act of cutting itself can be part of the work, not just a learning exercise. for 100, we use a diamond saw to cut swaths off the bubble amalgamations after they cool, exposing the most fascinating parts of the geometry.’

‘100 is an exploration in collision and exposure,‘ adds jay macdonell, glass master at bocci. ‘the combination of hot working and cold working requires intuition and skill in equal measure. it’s as if the artists have to have x-ray vision. seeing the insides of the volume in their imagination in real-time, prospecting almost, to find where those interesting moments might occur,’ macdonell says. ‘there are also pragmatic considerations. to expose the inner geometry, the artists cut openings from several angles, while also addressing the hanging balance of the piece keeping in mind the central bubble must remain intact, as it becomes the diffuser for a light source‘.

diamond saws are used to cut swaths of the bubble amalgamation

other sculptural lights will also be shown in milan for the first time

entitled 113 and 44, these experimental vessels will also be shown in milan for the first time. alongside ‘100’ bocci has also loaned 44 to sit as part of bellavance-lecompte’s private collection long term. 44 is a group of pendants resulting from a free pour of molten aluminum into a large canister filled with rock-like modules of resin-impregnated sand, a waste product of conventional sand casting. low voltage electricity is transmitted through the castings, allowing a light source to be suspended between them without using cables.

every single bocci product is handmade. each one is variously blown, poured, carved, polished, packed, and dispatched directly from their vancouver base. as such, no two products are identical; they are individual, irregular, and unique expressions of evolving research.

to expose the inner geometry, the artists cut openings from several angles