According to Constantin Brancusi, “simplicity is nothing more than resolved complexity.” It is with this philosophy that Ludovica+Roberto Palomba decided to strip the traditional Abat-Jour lamp down to its bare essentials. An exercise in technical precision and aesthetic simplicity, Dama unites past and present, reimagining a nostalgic object through the lens of contemporary design.
For Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, Dama represents a feminine figure, somewhat archaic and romantic; a faithful companion for the intimate moments of everyday life.
The collection was born from the desire to convey lightness in its broadest sense. Dama is transportable, it doesn’t visually clutter a space, and its diffuser emits soft pools of light that create an atmosphere of comfort and well-being.
“Light is well-being, and without light there could be no well-being, because it is through light that we perceive everything around us.”
Beyond its physical weight, Dama explores the philosophical idea of lightness. Using very little material, the object can be moved with one hand, an idea that you sense visually as much as physically. The choice of materials was fundamental to achieving this effect.
“I like the concept of an object that you weigh with your eyes, somehow you visually activate the feeling of lightness.”
100% recyclable, Aluminium is both sustainable and beautiful in essence, and can be manipulated to form continuous objects. Dama’s base, for example, is characterised by extreme lightness. And yet, the luminaire retains organic elements in its joints, details that demonstrate a certain sensitivity beyond technical innovation.
“Paper, with its ‘imperfect perfection’, gave me precisely the sense of warmth that I was looking for, and at the same time a sense of lightness.”
To create Dama, there was a constant dialogue between the idea of total reduction and the need to maintain the emotional element. Paper is historically used for lighting design. Like an oriental lantern, Dama’s diffuser takes on a kind of gentle vibration, expressing intimacy through its fragility.
“It is important that the illuminating object is integrated into and within the space with a contemporary dialogue, that it adheres to current trends, to a contemporary way of living that gives value to being at home.”
The designers share a vision oriented towards finding a synthesis between form and function, aesthetics and well-being. With a desire for integrity, Dama incorporates a circular LED with an internal diffuser, seamlessly integrating the light source while maintaining the traditional “hat” shape of the Abat-Jour lamp.
