Who is Stavros Kotsakis? What motivated the inception of your design journey and the establishment of Studio Lampent?
Stavros Kotsakis:
“I was born in 1986 in Greece, where I very recently moved back, after having lived in Sweden for the last 11 years. My journey started with handcrafting industrial luminaires from upcycled components and materials. Later on, I felt the urge to experiment with materials which interact more actively and genuinely with light. In parallel, drawing inspiration from Kinetic and Concrete artists as well as Scandinavian Design, I gradually developed my own visual language.”
What led you to specialize in crafting artworks centered around light?
Stavros Kotsakis:
“Initially I was inspired by my grandfather who used to make table lamps out of sea urchin shells. This is how I started developing an interest in light and also in the ways it can be ‘formed’ or manipulated, creating different visual experiences. Light has a dynamic quality which allows endless possibilities for experimentation. Once I got into this experimentation, I have constantly felt challenged to transform my research findings into complete light objects.”
What is the purpose / message / motto you or your firm wants to convey through your works?
Stavros Kotsakis:
“My process of working is based on exploring forms of light which communicate a sense of depth through captivating materials. The purpose is to create light objects that diffuse a playful radiance, while challenging the visual perception of the viewer.”
How do you choose the type of client/project to work on?
Stavros Kotsakis:
“Most of my sales are light objects which I produce in limited editions and in fixed specs. In addition, I have so far completed a few commissioned projects and I haven’t had the luxury of being more selective. Unless there are technical limitations such as size of project or location, I am always eager for new collaborations.”
Is your investigation as a designer driven mostly by written text or by visuals? What information is most useful to carry out your creative process?
Stavros Kotsakis:
“My research is driven mostly by visuals. Knowing how certain materials interact with light, but also their limitations, is a good starting point for the creative process.
The overall process can be described as solving a puzzle where I intend to match the unique properties of different materials with the desired form of light, while keeping the overall structure simple, functional and attractive.”