Studio SPHAER melds mythology and craft in a luminous pursuit of 'feminist worlding'

Folklore, mythological tales and creatures, in a multitude of cultures, dialects, contexts and forms that shift from one geography to the next, are deeply woven into cultural tapestries across the world. Their references are exchanged frequently in mundane conversations, the virtues and vices etched in timeless sagas and the fervent characters that inhabit them often become a muse for artists and designers looking to deconstruct and reinterpret the customary.

For Vienna-based Studio SPHAER's inaugural lighting collections, the powerful feminine figures of Greek mythology become touchstones. The Pythia and Calliope ensembles each comprise three pendant lights, all named after Greek goddesses, their silhouettes etched as eulogies to their characters. "Light is our favourite colour," says Leni Piëch, founder of Studio SPHAER. "Our goal is to create objects that are more than illumination—they are living narratives that shape the emotional landscape of a space," she adds.

Studio SPHAER is dedicated to harnessing collaborative, philosophically driven approaches to redefine creative boundaries. The studio, located in close vicinity of the historic Viennese vineyards, interweaves traditional craftsmanship with innovative thinking across its oeuvre. Piëch developed the studio's latest lighting designs during her pregnancy, in collaboration with designer Bade Erol—a sense of creative urgency guided the interventions. The synergy of the collaborators' design and material expertise yielded an unconventional series of lamps.

The elegant repository of Calliope—inspired by the eldest of the nine Greek muses, goddess of epic poetry, music, song and dance—includes Ourania, Aglaea and Hecate. The collection offers pendant lamps that shift perspectives with angles. Ourania, the muse of astronomy and celestial poetry, assumes a rose-hued glass form carrying a ceramic sphere on one side. Suspended from a sturdy iron tube, the lamp design plays with light and shadow.

In Greek mythology, Aglaea is one of the three Graces; in this repertoire, the virtues of beauty and joy delineate her eponymous pendant arranged as a delicate and ever-changing constellation of glass, ceramics and iron. Hecate—the Greek goddess synonymous with magic, witchcraft and the underworld—joins the two muses in a playful composition of glass and ceramics. The symmetrical luminaire flaunts a 'crown', a tribute to light and all its aspects.

The Pythia collection takes its cue from the Oracle of Delphi, presenting lamps that emulate contemporary 'prophetic vessels'. Two robust elements of wood and ceramic come together to craft Bia, a nod to the Greek goddess of strength and force. The lighting designers strive to express determination and vigour in the triangular arrangement, where the light source is protected by a transparent glass sphere.

Eirene embodies the essence of the custodian of peace and harmony. Three elements—cylindrical transparent glass, lacquered wood and an orange ceramic part—fuse in a pendant that exudes balance. Theia, the Greek goddess of light, is envisioned in ceremonial attire: bell-shaped transparent glass, four vibrant ceramic shapes and a radiant light source concealed within.

Each lamp across both collections features a light source strategically concealed to diffuse light into a soft glow akin to sunsets or moonlight. The product designs are handcrafted by skilled artisans in Turkey using premium glass and ceramic materials; the production processes commit to mindful sustainable design.

Through Pythia and Calliope, Studio SPHAER embarks on an exploration of light, and its power to transform spaces and define emotional narratives. The luminaires emerge as extensions of Piëch's philosophy of 'feminist worlding'—where objects become active participants in environments, practising their agency and speaking their stories. Piëch explains, "Feminist worlding is about deconstructing dominant narratives and hierarchies, particularly human-centred ones and instead exploring the diverse relationships between humans and non-human entities".