Q&A WITH OMAR CHAKIL
What drew you to the symbolic form of a time capsule in the design of the Encapsulated Table Lamp, and what stories or emotions were you hoping to preserve within it?
The shape references emotional wholeness, healing and continuity.The idea of encapsulating past energy to make it travel through time was enticing. Time capsules were intended as ways of communication with future people, future archaeologists, anthropologists or historians.Guided by the desire to bring Egyptian alabaster into the present and away from the touristic amulets which appeared to have become its only contemporary use, the shape seemed like a perfect starting point.
A simple ode to eternity and healing.
As a lamp its drawing powers are magnified.
Material seems to be at the heart of your process. What does alabaster represent to you - and how do you work with it to retain its natural beauty while shaping something distinctly your own?
Egyptian alabaster is one of the miracles of nature, formed under the earth for millions of years. Each block features pages from the book of nature with its calcite lines telling stories of our geological past. Its transparency and unique earthy, sandy hues are grounding and appeasing. It is of course one of the most emblematic materials of Ancient Egypt but its noble usage seemed to have disappeared in the second part of the 20th century. I was born in Beirut and raised in Paris from an Egyptian father and Lebanese mother so I always want to mirror the possibilities and unity that exists in cultural blending. I wanted to celebrate my Egyptian roots and European culture but most importantly to create cultural bridges using the stone’s powers through a contemporary and personal vision.
The lamp radiates a quiet warmth - subtle but powerful. How important is light as a medium in your work, beyond just function?
My work is fueled by a desire to transcend expectations and stimulate imagination. For me these are primordial functional characteristics. So what better way to do that than by bringing “light” to a material that is formed under the ground throughout millions of years.
If someone is styling the Encapsulated Table Lamp in a home, what setting or interior atmosphere would you imagine it lighting up best?
I like that question because a lot of people wonder if the colors of the stone are necessarily linked to summer houses and typical interior styles. To me that’s a limited way of looking at it. I see the Encapsulated Lamp as a timeless sculptural object that can either stand out or blend into different contexts. I especially like to see it used in interiors that reflect personality and individual taste. The bulbs are easy to change to fit personal preferences. Mine is a soft low intensity luminosity but to each their own. I like to see it in all sorts of interior styles but I particularly appreciate it when it showcases personal taste and instinct.
