The Lamps That Will Make Paris Melt
Lebanese designer Tarek ElKassouf unveils his new Melting Lamps in Paris this September.
From his designer’s notes, Tarek ElKassouf describes ‘Minerality II’ as an exploration of materiality and surrealism in design.
The physical properties of the design elements are transferred so that the fragile light creates the illusion of melting through a rectangular block of marble.
Light elements are dropped onto the marble to mould a liquefying effect in the solid structure. The materiel used are nero marquina with reflective stainless steel or statuario with reflective brass. The base is 150mm x 150mm x 300mm and the light is 750mm.
The Melting Lamps will be presented during Paris Design Week at the Gallery S. Bensimon in Paris.
I met Tarek back in 2016 when he was part of the Squad Design creations presented during Design Days Dubai. Based between Sydney and Beirut, Tarek goggles with both the macro and micro dimensions with either large-scale projects (such a house in Lebanon) or small corporate gifts. His attention to details and materials makes him someone, although rather discreet, with whom you can count on the beauty of the finishing.
During my last trip to Australia in 2017, he shared his passion for food and introduced me his ‘Something by Tarek’ collection. The limited edition pieces are all handmade by artisans and can also be called ‘Collectible Curiosities’.
