M&O Designer of the Year announced
(France) – Michael Anastassiades returns to show as 2020 Designer of the Year.
Having launched his lighting brand in 2007, the first fair he presented his new designs was in fact Masion & Objet.
In his work, the Cypriot designer uses dimple shapes and volumes to create a rich language where uncertainty and imbalance are embraced. The illusionary simplicity of his designs is a labour of love and not something easily achieved.
In Anastassiades’ view, designers are there to create relationships and interactions between people and objects. He believes that to design a light, one first has to embrace darkness: he sees no need to turn night into day. Lights for him are a source of warmth, and what fascinates him most is the glow.
When designing a light fixture, he takes into consideration that it will be turned off for 80% of the time. As such, he takes the time to figure out the relevance of the object when switched off. In his vision, a lamp is never an isolated object because it has to interact with its environment.
Having first introduced his brand at Maison & Object over ten years ago, this January the designer wants to offer an experience. For the very first time, all sixteen of his Mobile Chandeliers will be showcased together: in the dark space, the lights, propelled by motors, will move as if planets.
Once again, Anastassiades will work simultaneously with the qualities and conditions of darkness and light.