Apparatus draws on Persian mythology for its first full collection in five years
New York design studio Apparatus has released Act V: Afsaneh, a lighting and furniture collection with mythological themes fabricated in materials such as bronze, brass and glass.
Act V: Afsaneh was created as a contemporary take on Persian mythology based on Apparatus' founder Gabriel Hendifar's background. The word Afsaneh translates to fable and is also the name of Hendifar's mother, linking the connection directly to his personal life.
It is the first full collection by the studio since 2019.
The collection is mostly lighting, with pendants, chandeliers and sconces, but also features a line of tables and a table-like object meant for holding incense.
Most of the lighting elements in the collection revolve around the blown glass, which also forms a conceptual core to the collection, representing the cycle of a seed and the "divine feminine and the pursuit of knowledge".
"Life is shaped by cycles," said Hendifar. "Creation and destruction. The separation from self and the return. It's in these cycles that the collection finds its rhythm. The seed becomes the flower."
The sconces are called Esfand, or seed, and feature blown glass wrapped in lacquer settings that come in colours described as "milk, honey and pomegranate" among others.
The lacquered elements are also being presented as table vessels, without the glass light element.
In the logic of the collection, the next piece is the pendants, called Gol, or the flower, which feature large domes of semi-translucent fibreglass separated in the middle to reveal smaller speckled elongated glass orbs. The fibreglass tapers into polished aluminium finishes.
At the culmination of the collection is Rahvi, or the serpent, a highly figurative modular chandelier meant to represent the collection of knowledge. This is symbolised by the glass orbs in the crooks of the water-formed brass pieces that make up the body of the "snake".
Rahvi is highly customisable, with some of the demo pieces stretching out over multiple suspension cables. A series of rings were created from precious stones such as onyx and tiger's eye that can be placed around the brass pieces, further customising the piece.
Apparatus said the material used for the collection combined "ancient" materials with contemporary explorations in technique.
The collection features a custom incense made with Cinnamon Projects, and a series of short films were made for the release with Martha Graham Dance Company.
While Hendifar drew from ancient symbols and Persian culture for past collections, Act V represents a figurative move in the studio's works, reflecting a move towards more narrative forms.
The brand has spent the last few years renovating its Los Angeles location to feature a "modernist grotto" and opening up a London location.
The photography is courtesy of Apparatus.
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