Modernizing Historic Style | Paper Lanterns

New Old Light, Available at Weisshouse

The tradition of crafting paper lanterns began as far back as 230 BC in China. From their simplest form, a paper bag enclosing a candle, to complex frames covered with brightly colored silk, the lanterns have become symbols good fortune and joy for both Eastern and Western cultures.

Family of Akari Light Sculptures

Photo by Adrienne DeRosa on Houzz

For years, modern designers inspired by the craft have brought these traditions home. Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are considered icons of 1950s modernism. For half a century, Noguchi blended modern form with traditional Japanese handcraft with the original manufacturer in Gifu, Japan.

Pictured Left: Lamp Model BB3/33S in the loft of Weisshouse owner Stacy Weiss.

Designed by a team in Taiwan, the New Old Lamp emulates the traditional appearance of lanterns within a sleek, minimal frame. The frame contrasts the soft, airy lantern with a strong industrial shape that is uniquely modern.

Fashion designer Issey Miyake takes one step further into modernism with his IN-EI lamps for Artemide. The name translates to "shadow, shadiness, nuance" and are crafted from recycled polyester fiber. Each form was developed using a mathematical program based on three dimensional principles by Jun Mitani.