Steel Fold Lamp by Maria Tyakina

Steel “Fold” lamp, Maria Tyakina Dimensions: W 40 x D 22 x H 50 cm Materials: Steel, powder coating, LED The fold lamp is characterized by a refined manual craftsmanship with the material properties of a thin piece of sheet metal. The manual force that is applied by body weight and hands has been used to stress the metal beyond its yield strength to modify its geometry, causing the material to plastically deform, but not to fail. Using manual labor instead of conventional mechanical techniques and machinery allows the material to dictate the way it must be manipulated. It results in a lightweight but strong geometry which made up by forces that are often invisible to the naked eye. The act of folding results in both tension and compression in the sheet metal. The outside portion of the sheet undergoes tension and stretch to a greater length, while the inside portion experiences compression and shortens. The interaction of forces makes a thin and flexible sheet of metal into a strong and rigid form which is maintaining its balance through tension. Navigating between art and design, Maria’s work focuses on the relationship between human and object, and the ways objects mediate our connection with the body. Increasing lack of tactility in a contemporary digital era, sensorial perception, and reimagination of habituated ways of looking at objects are the key elements of her design practice. While conducting experimentations with natural phenomena, materials, color, form, and techniques, Maria’s artistic research combines study in ritualization, traditions, and nostalgia. By balancing research and fabrication, Maria explores innovative approaches and material expression to create unexpected sensorial experiences and atmospheres.