Lighting today is shedding its mould of traditional canopy lampshades and is becoming increasingly sculptural. More than just supporting design, it becomes architecture itself. This shift is illustrated in design sanctums such as Mumbai’s Shailesh Rajput Studio, where light, art, and stories converge to produce objects that add emotion to a space.
The Studio’s latest collection—Sama:Yantar—brings together ancient Indian philosophy and mythology to build on the concept of time. Upon feeling that time is passing by too quickly, founder Shailesh Rajput wanted to create something that represents travelling back to simpler times where connections and conversations were deeper. The lights, according to Rajput, freeze that time. This concept is illustrated through pieces layered with texture and meaning.
The wall lamp Rudrak:Sha Mala reimagines the religious string of prayer beads in a matte black finish. Rajput says that it takes one back to the time of Shiva. Also drawing from mythology is Math:Than, a manifestation of the mythological tale of Samudra Manthan, which features a turtle-like form symbolising Lord Vishnu in the middle, while the glowing wave-like base reflects the sea. Shell-like pieces on top signify the nectar that emerged from the churning. The same tale adopts another form in a floor lamp Ku:Rma, where the tortoise avatar of Vishnu forms the base from which seven sculptural stones rise, each holding the duality of poison and nectar drawing from the myth.
Intuitive silhouettes, rocky and earthy, define the collection. Rajput does not believe in casting pieces in fixed moulds. According to him, the forms convey the essence of imperfections one can spot in nature—the imperfections that, in fact, add life to nature and his pieces. He says, “Such silhouettes make the pieces feel not homogeneous or lifeless, but spontaneous.”
Collections take inspiration from nature, mythology, and culture. Rajput adds, “My practice is narrative-led. Stories here take centre-stage. I always want to ensure that objects don’t just fulfil a function, but in an increasingly virtualised world, add value and feeling to the spaces people inhabit.”
With a connection between the material and the maker, the illuminating pieces become collectibles where every texture is a result of handwork—Rajput himself sculpts and crafts the pieces. He says, “The lights acquire a greater collectible quality as even if I want to, I cannot replicate the pieces.”