Peaking Lights: The Wobbelhead Lamp

Peaking Lights: The Wobbelhead Lamp

A lamp prototype from Norway adds distinct personality to lighting design.

Despite what the name and teetering shade may suggest, the mushroom-shaped Wobbelhead Lamp isn’t merely a play on bobbling ballplayers or stadium memorabilia. Created by Norwegian designers Morten & Jonas, the elegant beechwood and blown glass lamp, steadied by a hidden magnet, is more about exuding personality. According to Morten Skjærpe Knarrum, the slightly tapered, occasionally teetering, and slightly off-balance piece is meant to add a touch of humor to industrial design.

Peaking Lights: The Wobbelhead Lamp - Photo 1 of 1 -

The Wobbelhead Lamp

A stack of gently swaying organic curves, this lamp prototype by Norwegian designers Morten & Jonas is held to a table b a small magnet hidden underneath.

Photo provided by Morten & Jonas

"The idea was to make people curious about the shape," says Knarrum. "We wanted to give it some personality. You can see where the lamp goes into the lamp shade, so it makes people wonder how it all fits together. You want to create a ten-second break from daily life, a design that makes you sit back and observe."

The organic shape of the Wobbel Head fits in well with the rest of the duo’s body of work, an array of playful, boldly colored furniture and objects that started when the friends from the Bergen Academy of Art & Design began collaborating in 2009. They both hope this recent prototype, which they showed at Milan last month, does find a steady backer and an upcoming production run.

Patrick Sisson
During the course of his career writing about music and design, Patrick Sisson has made Stefan Sagmeister late for a date and was scolded by Gil Scott-Heron for asking too many questions.

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