Interview with HIROYUKI NAGATOMI / NEW LIGHT POTTERY —part 2
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I always feel that I want to appreciate the material itself
— Hiroyuki Nagatomi / NEW LIGHT POTTERY
photography : Hiroki Kawata
words : Reiji Yamakura/IDREIT
continue from part 1
“Interview with HIROYUKI NAGATOMI / NEW LIGHT POTTERY —part 1”
‘R2’ comprises mouth-blown glass shade with heat ventilation and wooden base.
Please tell us about the initial product ‘R2’.
R2 is an extremely personal item which I drew a sketch of ten years ago. I wanted to put equipment in my house which can feature light bulbs. The glass shade was created from blown glass that I requested from a factory in Osaka. The upper part was provided with heat ventilation and combined the wooden ball-shaped parts. I love how this product brings to mind the image of a certain companion who is there for people, named R2 after R2-D2 from STAR WARS.
R2 has several colour variation in two different sizes (approximately H30cm and H40cm). Also, they offers two options with oak and walnut for the wooden parts.
Please tell us about your most recent products.
We created “soil”, which has a lampshade made using Shigaraki, based on the workshop lamps made in Germany ninety years ago. It is based on the idea of ‘Utsushi (imitating)’ which recreates the original in a different material in traditional Japanese culture such as a tea ceremony. The surface has a matte texture, the colors are unbleached, black, and a limited model which is mixed with a lacquer.
Pendant lamp ‘soil’ was made of Japanese traditional ceramics Shigaraki ware. This model is limited colour edition with Urushi lacquer.
The custom-made flange cup was made of Shigaraki ware as well to create the similar touch and quality.
The lampshade was made of Shigaraki ware referring the anonymous design of old workshop lamp.
In addition, “void” which is a large aluminum lampshade with a 1-meter diameter, was created by the technique of a local factory in Ota ward, Tokyo. On the other hand, “Robin” is made through aluminum casting and has a unique rounded triangle shape and allows the light to break through upward slits. It is given a barrel polishing to add additional charm.
A large pendant lamp ‘void’ was made of Aluminium. The shade was manufactured in local factory in Tokyo.
An unique triangle shape pendant lamp ‘Robin’ was made of cast aluminium. The designer create narrow slits to leak out the light to the ceiling.
Do you try not to have shine on purpose?
Yes. The time taken for polishing is adjusted to make it less shiny. It was difficult to control the polish.
Mr. Nagatomi, you said you do not have any commitment to the shape of equipment, however you are extremely particular about the texture and well-finished surface.
I am hung up on it. I always feel that I want to appreciate the material itself. Just like cooking can be seasoned by only salt. I cannot do anything complicated because I hink I am not a designer. It is my weak point and at the same time it is my personality.
I see. I understand what you mean from seeing the products from NEW LIGHT POTTERY. You have been developing not only the equipment but also an original light bulb recently.
Yes. We have been developing an incandescent light bulb and LED light bulbs. We had always been controlling the light intensity using a dimmer at work in our lighting planning, however we want a light bulb which is easy on the eyes without adjustment. Our prototype incandescent light bulb which uses a Japanese technique, is on the final stage in a domestic factory. We and an overseas factory are developing a LED light bulb which aims to not cast a harsh light even when it is seen directly.
The prototypes of incandescent light bulbs collaborating with local factory in Japan. (photography: NEW LIGHT POTTERY)
We look forward to it. Are you conscious of the Japanese aesthetic with the light equipment you usually work on?
I am exposed to Japanese culture and design and I refer to traditional Japanese ideas, like ‘imitating’ which we attempted with ‘soil’. However, I want to avoid typical Japanese designs with my own products. We and renown manufacturers have been attempting to make lighting equipment with Japanese paper, but if we apply it to our lighting equipment, it would be too typically Japanese. So, every day we have been tossing around prototypes to take advantage of the paper’s appeal while not making it look too Japanese.
Nagatomi laughed and said, “I am curious about the minutia like switches and cords.” The original products of NEW LIGHT POTTERY should be known for their treatment for every single aspect, such as the parts which attach light fixtures to the ceiling.
Although Nagatomi, himself, said that he was “not a designer.”, his consideration and eye for beauty attracts designers who care about small differences when they try to create spatial designs. The age of the incandescent light bulb is almost over, so we look forward to the completion of their original light bulb which has been developed to showcase the filament.
NEW LIGHT POTTERY
A lighting studio established in Nara Prefecture in 2015 by Hiroyuki Nagatomi and Chizu Nara who used to work in lighting manufacturing. They set out in lighting planning as designers, and at the same time, they sell their own lighting equipment.
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