Manitoba

My father grew up in the Old Order Mennonite colony of Manitoba in Chihuahua, Mexico, where his grandparents had what is known as a Kroeger clock, a wall clock made out of steel and brass with chains, pendulums and weights. These clocks held an almost iconic status, so much so that even during periods of migration, many Mennonites would still wrap up their clock along with their few belongings and bring it with them, showing just how strong a connection these clocks had to a sense of place and home.

With this idea of home and rootedness in mind, this collection of wall lamps explores the connection of lighting to mental health and well-being. Circadian lighting has been programmed to tell time as the light changes intensity and colour throughout the day, thus limiting the effect artificial light can have on the human circadian rhythm, encouraging us to realign the body’s internal clock.

These lamps double as working clocks, where, due to the abstract nature of the clock movements, time becomes secondary. Interactivity was also key in this process. The brass chains of the Kroeger clocks had to be wound up every night before bed, so in a similar vein, these lamps can be controlled through touch, such as running one’s hands through hanging brass chains, manually through the touch of a button, or remotely through a smartphone app, still to be developed in the future.

This collection is designed and made locally in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in collaboration with local artisans, technicians & programmers, and out of raw materials such as hardwood, brass, steel and glass, along with new technological components.