‘Drawing A Line’ by Giopato & Coombes is a delicate play of weight and balance

A single stroke of the brush can convey a thousand emotions is a frequently used Korean proverb. A line, whether linear or undulating, solitary or in composition, expresses far more than its delicate, seemingly insubstantial frame. But it is with this invisible entity that anything begins—a line of thought and intention that runs ahead of what is more complex, sitting silently in something larger and more intricate. Some forms of art, however, elevate the act of drawing to an extent where it becomes the art itself—calligraphy is one such practice. For Korean master calligraphers, who have mastered this skill for centuries, calligraphy surpasses the mere process of writing words through lines; it is the art of expressing one's character and spirit through the movement of the brush. Lines become a journey and the destination in tandem, guided by motive and soul. These wilful strokes spill out of papers and assume forms of luminous squiggles in this lighting collection.

The latest lighting designs conceived by creative studio Giopato & Coombes draw deep inspiration from the peculiarity of Korean art, presented in a project befittingly titled Drawing A Line. The dainty lights, akin to brushstrokes left floating in space, embody a spirit of 'guiding, while knowing when to let go.' Led by Cristiana Giopato and Christopher Coombes, an Italian-British architect and designer couple, the studio unveils a limited edition lighting series featuring unique shapes achieved through a system of weight and balance. “This (Dansaekhwa art movement) resonated deeply with our own approach—a fusion of rigorous research and experimentation—an ongoing dialogue between the artistic gesture and the resulting work,” Giopato and Coombes convey in a conversation with art curator and writer Valentina Buzzi. “In our project, (there is) a fusion of light, glass, metal, and the serendipitous—we’ve seized upon this enigmatic synergy between two distinct realms—the realm of design and the realm of calligraphic expression,” they add.

Founded in Italy the design duo, Giopato & Coombes is rooted in a methodology that combines a design approach and art research. Their practice uses light as a medium to merge the material and the immaterial, redefining interaction spaces by elevating them to a celebration of sensations. For the lighting designers, evoking this experience is paramount, and they aspire to share it one light creation at a time. Giopato graduated first from the Politecnico di Milano in industrial design in 2002, and then continued her studies with a degree in architecture in Venice. She gained experience by working in the office of Makio Hasuike and with Patricia Urquiola. Coombes, on the other hand, graduated in industrial design at Brunel University in London , in 2001. After moving to Milan, the industrial designer worked for George Sowden and then for Sebastian Bergne. They came together with their diverse knowledge to establish the Giopato & Coombes studio in 2006.

For their ensemble, the duo draws inspiration from the oeuvre of various Korean artists and masters. Abstract master Vassillij Kandinskij would note that lines embody temporality like none other—their direction and abstract geometry guide our mind into wonder. Elucidating their thoughts on temporality and how it becomes one with their creations, the product designers share, “experimentation, temporality, and memory share a common thread: immateriality, much like the ethereal essence of light itself. To venture into the realm of experimentation is to embrace the unanticipated, to traverse the delicate balance of time, oscillating between the echoes of the past and the aspirations of the future, oscillating between tradition and innovation.”

Similarly, other Korean contemporary artists—who the designer duo looks up to as admirers and collectors—have historically investigated the power of brushstrokes in balancing between conscious and unconscious gestures, letting go of their ego between pictorial repetition and free experimentation. Paying homage to these inspirations, the five light sculptures were presented in dialogue with the work of Korean contemporary master Lee Bae, whose recent series Brushstrokes epitomises a similar spirit. The title of the exhibition, DAL 달 ~ Drawing A Line, was evocative of this juxtaposition, where the Korean word ‘달’ (Dal) symbolises the moon, a significant element in Korea's lunar culture.

“Our research starts with a very specific idea, but slowly turns into an unexpected journey of trials, errors, and experimentation. At an unspecified point on this journey, we perceive the moment where to stop and embrace the latent expression of the material itself. In the creation of ourDrawing a Line lighting sculptures, this process was crucial,” the designers explain. Each design undergoes a journey comprising numerous prototypes that form a tapestry of possibilities. This process of creation unfolds in collaboration with Venetian master glass blowers, who safeguard an invaluable tradition of Murano. Glass and light collide to yield surprising nuances, shadows, sensations and most of all, uninhibited expression. Light, Venetian glass, and metal tubes become collaborators in a three-dimensional space, finding their harmonic balance and catching the eye through singular shapes and textures. “The nocturnal palette chosen for the presentation sees nuanced blacks gently bathed in the warmth of each light source, both alluding to the mystery of a singular creative journey, where the force and courage of the creative spirit meets the weight of material reality,” the designers note.

Drawing a Line narrates a journey of pure experimentation that leads to surprises when the process is fully embraced. This expedition also culminates in a celebration of a cross-cultural encounter between Korea and Italy, where craftsmanship meets wonder, East meets West, and design meets art. Speaking about what they would like their design to transmit, Giopato & Coombes say, “We want the viewer to feel the gesture, and its immediacy, and see the movement that created the work. A rarefied and immersive journey where we can focus on the smallest detail, and in this detail capture a universal timeless moment.”