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It is perhaps challenging to surmise the attributes and values of the feminine, without giving into stereotypical perpetuations. Here, the importance of recognising care and empathy as one of the key behavioural ideals defining the didactic feminine spectrum becomes central—the sacred yet often alienating experience of motherhood, the misconstrued aspects of femininity that arduously sustain life—the feminine rage; the feminine intellect; the feminine labour, the feminine aesthetic—the spiritual, intuitive, and powerful; the warm, bold and beautiful. Femininity stands for the plurality of pain, learning, resistance, advocation, and creating; the empathetic, inspiring, and vengeful. What when this agency and energy are dovetailed into the design continuum?
Ieva Kalēja, author of Mammalampa, a bespoke design lighting studio and brand based out of Latvia, taps into this feminine representation in her creations, with thought and intention. ‘Mamma’ (mother, mum, ma, amma) remains at the core of the studio’s ethos, so much so that most (if not all) of their designs personify monikers related to the feminal. “A warm feminine approach dominates our lamp designs. It is the task of light and mothers, the task of women, to be at the heart of things. People naturally gravitate towards light and mothers. For people to converge around something, it must have a strong, magnetic energy. It is precisely these different energies that we want to accent in our designs,” Kalēja tells STIR.
The product designer’s collections of lamps and signature designs (which are also often referred to as ‘her’ instead of ‘it’) are characterised by care, the natural beauty of materials, slow and conscious handcrafting, and a careful fusion of art and design, striving to go ‘back to the roots, the real, the non-produced.’ In her creative approach, the lighting designer finds real things and new ways of applying natural materials to craft nuanced product designs that intentionally forego the artificiality of mass-produced, machine-made items. “Design ideas are inspired by everything primaeval, that comes from mother nature, and that is not stamped with cliches of (manufactured) values,” explains Kalēja.
“Mammalampa lamps are created from natural materials and with minimal technological means, primarily through manual labour, primitive material processing, or even untreated materials. They strive to go back to the genuine. Mammalampa imagines materials in an unexpected light, creating its own distinctive signature and values,” the studio asserts. Materials and processes upholding sustainable design values remain at the studio’s heart, where the ‘natural harshness’ of materials is contrasted with the individualistic and therefore, the inimitable refinement offered by handcrafting. This is further characterised by the contemporary interpretation of ‘handmade,’ which does not necessarily mean replacing machines, but carefully finding those items, features, and craftsmanship details which machines may not be able to provide, that only the nuances of refining materials through natural processes can.
All their products, primarily lighting designs but also comprising furniture designs and accessories, are focused on the ‘hunger for the fair and primaeval,’ where materials and the spirituality of making are given utmost respect: The uniqueness of their cosy lamp design collection named The Bride lies in her diffused illumination, where the light source gently shines through the fixtures’ braided ‘dress’ crafted from paper. Described as 'emotional and feminine,' the entirely handmade collection comprises two pendant lamps, two floor lamps and a table lamp that embody ‘an aura of airy lightness.’
The Sisters are special in their disposition to adapt to any room—the series is “characterised by refined, nuanced, and painterly colour relationships. Our contemporary design lamps are made in the manner of traditional paintings—a canvas painted with colour nuances and brushstrokes. These exquisite brushstrokes give the painting on each lamp its own inimitable character,” Kalēja explains.
The Duchess is formed from an interesting melange of materials including various forms of natural stone, which articulates its heavy mien. Here, the rougher face of the stone is offset by the elegance of sparkling Swarovski crystals on its bottom edge, relieving the top’s weighty appearance. “Suspended from the ceiling, this heavy lamp creates the illusion of defying gravity and literally pulls you into another cosmic vibration. The crystals coat the edges of the stones spontaneously. They are extremely textured so that the angle and moment at which the crystal sparkles are unpredictable, giving this lamp extra magic,” describes the 45-year-old Latvian designer.
The Queen lamps exude quiet and elegant luxury, with its skin made of corroding steel, and its innards covered with a 23.75-carat gold plate. “Because each Mammalampa lampshade is handmade exclusively with natural materials, each one is slightly unique,” adds Kalēja. Stepping away from their rich roster of lighting designs, the snowy white DeTales collection comprises two candle holders, three vases in varying sizes, two diffusers, and a serving plate, all with a shared materiality of natural stone. “DeTales are design tales in which a contemporary design approach meets timeless shapes,” she elaborates.
In conversation with STIR, the founder of the Latvian lighting design studio expounds on the core value systems of her works, the ‘feminine approach’ that dominates them, and how to honour the goddess in the details.
Jincy Iype: How did Mammalampa find its genesis, and what is the thought behind your studio’s name? What is the expression of your design philosophy?
Ieva Kalēja: One day, we got tired from all the produced, artificial, and expected, and we decided to start ‘non-production’—finding something that has created itself and making it shine—to see the rough, natural beauty of materials and awaken it to a new life. This search for this new aesthetic forms the company’s core.
Our company name is ‘Mammalampa,’ which fully expresses the essence of our products and ourselves, who make these products. This capacious name ‘Mamma’ encompasses our core value system. We do not view perfection as an asset, but rather, endorse truth and authenticity—we accent the original beauty of things and materials, which is traditionally lost in modern manufacturing processes.
Jincy: For someone not familiar with your ethos and designs, how would you explain your intent of wanting to ‘go back to the genuine’?
Ieva: Mass production has taken over the world. Everything is perfect, stainless, economical—artificially refined and near perfect. This virtual thinking has taken reality and genuineness from people. Today's design industry has realised that it will gain quick profit only if it provides everything as soon as possible, objects that are easily adjusted to your needs. In gentle defiance, we want to go back to the genuine, and that takes time and an authentic labour of love.
Jincy: What are some of your favourite materials and processes to indulge in, to realise your instinctive lamp designs?
Ieva: Mammalampa's signature style is exemplified by the audacious use of traditional materials and conscious, handmade design solutions which celebrate handcrafted or naturally created accents. There is always something spontaneous in our designs. For instance, through the natural corrosion process for The Queen collection, which we have refined over the years, we are able to create one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing rusts in the world. However, the process of creating it is long and occasionally unpredictable.
Relatedly, we know that the growth of rust depends on the phase of the moon. Compared to the design of a chair or an aeroplane, where ergonomics and function are much more crucial than appearance, lamps provide you with a canvas where you can experiment with materials as well as play with the attitude towards things. In lighting design, the spontaneity of natural materials becomes the perfect medium to express itself. As in the case of The Bride, it is almost impossible to replicate the braid identically, and as a consequence, each lamp has her own unique features.
Jincy: Compared to your lighting designs, DeTales seems to exhibit a different approach and aesthetic. Could you comment on the collection’s intent?
Ieva:DeTales combines two English words: Design and Tales. There is no room for chance in these design tales, and every detail matters. The motto applied is, ‘God is in the details. When it comes to creating and producing design objects, there aren’t and cannot be any insignificant details. Everything is important.’
Inspired by snow on mountain tops that never melts, the collection presents contemporary design objects made of stone mass. It is a story about the longing for snow and the mood of Christmas, about a dream we keep in our hearts. We believe that every item we choose for our home brings a story with it. These stories affect our mood, and create our memories as well as those of our children. Do these stories have happy endings? Perhaps they don’t end at all, because DeTales believes in eternal values.
Jincy: In the bustling, diverse global design production and consumerism practices, what is the significance of handcrafted products such as yours?
Ieva: Our mission is to find ways in which to elevate the traditions of processing natural materials and the skills of artisans to a new level of contemporary performance. Because of the advent of technology, many craft skills are dying out, so it is even more imperative for the passing of craft traditions to future generations. Our employees, page makers, are mostly senior citizens, our mums and dads, as well as their friends. This is because the skills of working with one's hands and an affinity towards natural materials are precisely the older generations’ strengths. This is how we nurture a fulfilled life and make people feel needed. This socially inclusive aspect is extremely important to us.
Jincy: What is your vision for Mammalampa? What is NEXT for you?
Ieva: For a long time now, design has tried to be perfect, which explains why it's a bit boring. Mammalampa products have a strong, individualistic identity. They are personalities that create an emotional bond between the object and the consumer. We will continue to follow this path because in an age where virtual environments, artificial intelligence, and technological production are an integral part of our lives, this humane aspect assumes a new and very important role. Instead of following trends, we will continue to create warm, unique and humane designs that epitomise emotions prevailing over function and aesthetics. We will be the answer for those who are tired of plastic, incessant technology and mindless production.
What do you think?