Twilight is a particularly interesting luminous period when the sun is below the horizon yet continues to illuminate the sky. In this unique lighting condition, the rods and cones of the eyes are functioning simultaneously and sharing the same nerve pathways. This mixing of visual information creates a period of visual uncertainty, open to interpretation.
With this twilight state of vision in mind, I designed objects that take advantage of the light pollution prevalent to urban nights. This moment of vision is readily available if we just remember to let it happen. By resisting the urge to flip on the light, we allow ourselves to experience the veil of darkness that creates such a beautiful moment in our vision.
Surely you have seen how the gold leaf of a sliding door or screen will pick up a distant glimmer
from the garden, then suddenly send forth an ethereal glow, a faint golden light cast upon the
enveloping darkness, like the glow upon the horizon at sunset. In no other setting is gold quite
so exquisitely beautiful … excerpt from In Praise of Shadows by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki
Light Collectors
The objects I have designed are light collectors, made of ceramic and glazed with a gold luster. Inspired by the gold of Japanese screens, these objects pick up any stray reflections of ambient light and create a luminescence that appears to come from within. They are a reminder that there is still enough light to see in these stages of twilight vision and to allow yourself to experience this shadowy period.
Civil Twilight
Nautical Twilight
Astronomical Twilight
