Freddy Tuppen wraps industrial geometric lamps with extended cotton strings

A single piece of string ties together the delicate light forms of interwoven, geometric sculptural designs—London-based artist and architectural designer Freddy Tuppen's idiosyncratic lighting, borne of intricate craftsmanship, checks into a new form of functional sculpture, where "string is the warp and the light is the weft". The luminous "exploded machines revealing their insides", as Tuppen describes them, are evocative explorations of space, materiality and primitive architectural techniques, embodying a creative philosophy that begets wonder and redefines familiarity.

Ingrained in an appreciation for weaving as one of the early forms of architecture, the lighting designer's works draw from the structures of scale models of buildings. In a recent conversation with STIR, Tuppen reflects on the vernacular techniques that are often more intuitive and accessible in contrast to the technological complexities of large-scale contemporary architecture. "I became interested in primitive forms of architecture—pre-modern/ non-western ways of designing and constructing buildings, hence the interest in weaving…The lights, like my paintings, are ways to think about architecture—space, form, light, colour—at a smaller scale and within a much shorter time frame," he shares.

With his creative philosophy revolving around reuse, mix-use and an acute sensitivity to materials, people and places, each lamp design is conceived with a meticulously crafted lattice framework of Sapele wood or aluminium rods. Onto this frame, Tuppen weaves a continuous length of cotton string, creating a dynamic interplay of texture and translucence. "A grid structure with overlapping joints forms the base from which hundreds of metres of string is woven over, around and through its frame in what becomes an exploded knot," Tuppen describes. This results in a series of industrial lighting designs, including pendant lights, standing lamps, wall lights and desk lights. Each seems formidable yet delicate, grounded yet ethereal, imbued with a narrative of construction and discovery.

The process of crafting these lamps is as instinctive as it is deliberate. The product designer's initial sketches and frame models envision the geometry and flow of the woven form. However, the act of weaving often transforms its contemporary design, allowing the piece to evolve organically. The string, serving as both a functional element and an artistic medium, becomes a metaphorical thread connecting past and present, the disparate and the whole.

Endorsing the use of cotton string for its tactile intimacy and warm glow, Tuppen explains, "I often work with everyday materials—things easily found in a hardware store—and enjoy combining contrasting qualities: hot and cold, common and rare, old and new, natural and artificial." Cotton's familiarity as a natural medium is elevated through inventive application in his entwined lights, redefining its limits and revealing its latent potential. "I enjoy reimagining these recognisable materials in unexpected and often unconventional ways, pushing their boundaries and discovering new possibilities," the British artist shares.

The contemporary artist and furniture designer looks forward to expanding his creative horizons with a new lighting collection, bespoke furniture design commissions and architectural projects. Having recently completed a timber-frame studio for a UK-based artist, Tuppen aspires to tackle more large-scale projects while maintaining the hands-on, experimental approach that defines his current art and design practice.

Freddy Tuppen reconceives the boundaries of materials and forms through his lights, weaving together innovation and tradition to create deeply resonating product designs. His work is a reminder that even the simplest materials can harbinger profound transformations when guided by a sensitive and visionary approach.