Cobra, Serpente, Pipistrello, Ruspa, and then there’s Elastica and the brand new Grammoluce. All these Martinelli Luce lamps share an essential feature: a design capable of innovating, as it is revolutionary in form, concept, and interaction with the object and light itself. Since its inception, the company has based its identity on experimentation and research, both in terms of materials and processes. Light is never simply an end in itself. Following the vision of founder Elio Martinelli, Martinelli Luce’s creations always have a theatrical quality: they are designed to be part of the narrative of the home and to relate to the interior design, but they must also meet lighting requirements. This approach is as visible today as it was 70 years ago.
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Consider the Cobra lamp, for example, a spherical shape that encloses two molded bodies; its rotating movement embodies the genius of the idea, allowing the reflector to rotate and direct the light in different directions, changing the appearance of the lamp itself. Or the Pipistrello, the brand’s most iconic lamp: the diffuser that hovers like wings spread in the wind and the telescopic base have made it a model of modernity and humor. There is always an idea of movement in these lighting works, whether it is the light, ready to change direction to meet functional needs, or the user called upon to interact with the lamp, which is never static by nature. Another example? The most recent Elastica: literally strips of light to be moved, maneuvered, and played with to change their position but also their intensity. Light has never been so malleable.
Until Grammoluce. This new product is emblematic of the brand’s revolutionary and imaginative spirit, its originality, and its ability to transcend familiar forms and functions. Grammoluce takes everyday interaction with lighting to a higher level, this time exploring the possible “weight” of light.
Together with designer Min Dong from Habits Design, Martinelli Luce has created a lamp that is as poetic as it is rational. It features an elastic Lycra® fabric covering the borosilicate glass structure; By placing glass spheres of different weights (300 g, 700 g, and 1.3 kg) on the fabric, the intensity and tone of the light emitted by a dynamic white LED source changes: with light weights, it is more delicate and warm, while adding spheres makes the lighting stronger and colder. The elastic fabric, by deforming, acts as a switch and dimmer, but above all represents the element that defines an intuitive link between light and weight.
“The idea is to connect two seemingly independent concepts through the experience of use and the transformation of form, creating a unique aesthetic and a poetic experience,” said Ming Dong, now in his third collaboration with the company, after Elastica and Metrica. Grammoluce thus sums up Martinelli Luce’s philosophy: a scenographic object, rich in meaning, which combines the beauty of aesthetic simplicity with technical and design innovation. To create a lamp capable, once again, of stimulating the imagination and emotions of those who look at it.
Photo © Diego Laurino & Paolo Dovichi
