Good lighting is an art

A guide to light fixtures that double as art

Living with art in your home is the antithesis of how it appears in the gallery. Stark white walls, pristine floors, and track lighting are replaced by knick-knacks, rugs and furniture, and (hopefully) no track lighting. This context shift completely changes the look and feel of an artwork.

Track lighting is essentially a ring light for artwork, meant to illuminate every inch and show it in its best light. At home, this type of bright lighting isn’t the most conducive to a warm and cozy feel. But lighting is very important when it comes to living with art!

I find buying lights to be one of the most challenging things. A lot of shades and fixtures are downright ugly; the rest are mind-numbingly expensive. As my feed has been filled with gift guides (I have not read a single one), I thought I would contribute an evergreen guide to my favourite lighting fixtures.

The following is less about perfectly lighting your art collection and more about having light fixtures that double as a work of art:

Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi

A classic for a reason, you simply can’t go wrong with Noguchi’s lights, which I think of as each having their own personality.

Sakura Chromatic Glass Up Down Sconce by Dylan Rose Rheingold

I have a dream of hanging this bite-sized scone in a hallway next to a tiny painting, its only job to illuminate it.

As a bonus, this In Common With fixture, made in collaboration with artist Dylan Rose Rheingold, donates proceeds to the Ali Forney Center in support of LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.

Chainmail Lighting by Wretched Flowers

I can almost guarantee that at least 30% of people reading this have saved this light on Instagram.

These light fixtures are a direct nod to art history. “In our beaded chainmail lighting and tapestry pieces, we reinterpret the ruggedness of medieval armor by pairing it with the delicate charm of American folk art,” reads a statement on the husband-wife duo’s website.

Tulip’s The Bunce Series by Wyatt Bunce

We have a Tulip lightshade, which covers an ugly rental light fixture, the stated purpose behind the brand’s snap-in-place light covers. But their new artist series are a lot more fun.

In a hare’s form 5 by Shannon Garden-Smith

Exhibited at Franz Kaka in 2021, not a day goes by that I turn on the dining room light and wish it were one of the pigment-stained gelatin lamp shades by Shannon Garden-Smith.

“Suolo” Table Lamp by Dana Arbib

A light made of glass really has the potential to illuminate an art collection in a bath of shimmering light it deserves.

Light switch by The Perfect Nothing Catalog

When I was younger, I used to make my own light switch covers out of magazine collages. We should bring back the trend of custom covers, and this one is a great place to start. One for every light switch, please!

Moth Sconce by Ficus Interfaith

I love the idea of completely eschewing the harsh light of halogen for the light of a candle!

I fear this is the beginning of a dangerous rabbit hole of artist-made light fixtures. Please comment or email me if I’ve missed any.