Illuminating the future of interior lighting

About four years ago, the French brand Blackbody lit the way to innovation at the Maison et Objet trade show in Paris. An overhead constellation dazzled, in a sinuous composition of staggered-height OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes). It was unlike what designers had seen before, intended to be experiential. Then, in 2016, another installation showed the capabilities of bendable light, which was applied like irregular pieces of stone or wallcovering against a black ground. Bolstered by such impressive installations, lighting has moved into the worlds of theater and even art. At the SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design) show in Chicago in November, artist Anthony James created the 5-foot Portal, a polyhedron with 20 faces, fitted with LED tubes illuminating mirrors within, giving the illusion of infinity.