Roly-poly - modular lighting

bauhaus enamel furniture industrial design Lamp light modular pendant product design sculptural

ROLY-POLY

Enameled modular lighting

Roly-poly toy, source | Enamel statue from iron basins by Ferenc Lantos 1968, acb Gallery, source

The Roly-Poly enameled metal lamps represent a harmonious blend of heritage, innovation, and artistic inspiration. Each lamp is a modular sequence crafted from identical units—a marriage of a sphere and a funnel. The Roly-Poly lamp series symbolizes continuity, both practically and culturally.

Drawing from the legacy of Hungarian neo-avant-garde artist Ferenc Lantos, whose experimental enamel work in Bonyhád during the late 1960s left an indelible mark on Hungarian art, these lamps pay homage to his profound exploration of geometric forms. Lantos, a leading figure of the Architectural Enamel Camp in Bonyhád, saw the circle and the square not merely as shapes, but as he broke them into fragments, he used them as linguistic units that could be rearranged into captivating compositions, echoing the rhythms of the complexity of nature.

In the course of the design process, I sought a connection to Hungary's design heritage— a heritage whose continuity is almost missing. It is recognizable that the artists of the camp were strongly influenced by the Bauhaus movement and the op-art painter, Victor Vasarely. I thought if I would connect to their legacy, maybe it could be a kind of continuity of the essence of "Hungarian design" - if that would even exist.

My entire Burnt Geometry collection reflects to the enamel camp of Bonyhád, but in the case of the lamps, I applied the enameling technology directly. For me, it was crucial that the lamps are enameled in the same (almost historic) Hungarian factory, where Lantos and his group experimented. Today, the factory produces mostly street boards and kitchenware - our collaboration could open new perspectives of the future for them.

The resulting lamps are more than just functional but sculptural objects where the interplay of light and form creates a mesmerizing illusion. LED light sources concealed within the spherical elements cast a gentle glow onto the imperfect enamel surfaces of the funnels, imbuing them with an ethereal radiance that evokes the visuality of a glowing solid glass.

Inspired by the playful spirit of the Roly-Poly toy—a beloved fixture of Hungarian childhoods in the same era as Lantos's experiments—I incorporated a subtle nod to its tumbling motion into the design of the standing lamp. This whimsical gesture not only adds an element of playfulness but also invites tactile interaction, encouraging users to explore the unique texture of the enameled surface.

Touching for me that the lamps have garnered acclaim on the global stage, earning accolades at prestigious exhibitions such as the Stockholm Furniture Fair, Design Shanghai (received the "best commercial product design award"), and the Grassimesse in Leipzig (won the shared grand prize of the exhibition).

One of the Roly-Poly Mono triple pendant lamps has now found a permanent home in the esteemed permanent collection of the GRASSI Museum für Angewandte Kunst Leipzig which is truly a great honor.

The lamps are available for purchase on the Self and Scope website:
www.selfandscope.io

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