Luminaire Authentik envisions blending sculptural art with functional lighting. In collaboration with artist Zeynap Boyan, they created The Monumental Collection, stoneclay sculptures inspired by ancient Turkish architecture.

Luminaire Authentik, based in Toronto, Canada emphasises customisation as a core principle, offering a hands-on approach that allows customers, architects, and designers to create bespoke lighting fixtures. Since 2021, this collaborative ethos has extended to the local artistic community through an artist residency programme. The initiative invites artists to explore how their mediums, such as ceramics and metal, can interact with light, blending their creativity with the company’s expertise in functional design. By fostering experimentation and innovation, the residency highlights the shared artistry of customisable lighting and traditional art, celebrating the connection between technical skill, creative freedom, and storytelling.

Now in its third residency the Canadian lighting brand has partnered with artist Zeynap Boyan to create ‘The Monumental Collection’. This series of clay fixtures draws inspiration from the legacy of ancient civilisations and the rich cultural heritage of pre-modern Turkey, paying homage to the grandeur of classical architectural while blending elements from Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Anatolian artifacts into a reimagined, modern lighting design.

When asked about what it was about Boyan’s work and vision that made her fit for this term’s residency, founder of Luminaire Authentik, Maude Rondeau says: “Through this collaboration, Boyan brings her deep understanding of materiality and her poetic approach to form, enriching our creative process. Her hand-sculpted ceramic pieces not only highlight the tactile beauty of clay but also introduce a fresh narrative dimension to our customisable lighting, further pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when art and design come together.”

At the core of every piece by Luminaire Authentik is the harmony between tradition and modernity. Their handmade production process prioritises quality and precision, using a combination of time-honoured craftmanship and innovative designs, where lighting is both sophisticated and functional.

Boyan’s hand-sculpted ceramics presented a unique challenge: integrating delicate, irregular forms with precise lighting systems. The process involved iterative prototyping, testing, and refining to ensure the ceramic components retained their artistic integrity while meeting functional and structural requirements.

Central to each design is a hand-sculpted knob, a defining feature of Boyan’s work that enhances the organic quality of the collection’s forms. Sculpted entirely from stoneware clay, each piece undergoes an oxidation firing process, is finished with hand-brushed glaze strokes, and is completed with Luminaire Authentik’s custom products, showcasing their artisanal approach. Boyan’s choice of stoneware clay and fire oxidation techniques allowed earthy tones and textures to be produced, grounding the collection in naturistic aesthetic while also dedicated to Luminaire Authentik’s sustainable minimum waste practices.

One of the most crucial aspects to get right in the process was addressing the unpredictability of ceramics because factors such as shrinkage can occur during the fire process. Achieving consistent integration with lighting components required balancing the organic imperfections of ceramics with the clean lines of lighting design, this was both a challenge and rewarding creative endeavour.

“Every residency challenges us to think differently about design and innovation,” says Rondeau. “Jeremy Le Chatelier’s [first artist in residency] use of construction waste redefined our approach to materials, while Édith Sévigny-Martel’s [second artist in residency] ceramics introduced new forms and textures to our collections. With Zeynep, the collaboration has pushed us to explore the fusion of tactile, sculptural ceramics with sleek, modern lighting systems, resulting in pieces that are both functional and deeply emotive.”

Boyan’s designs and artistic perspective is profoundly influenced by her time growing up in Istanbul and how remarkable artifacts are seamlessly embedded into everyday surroundings. She recalls how walking through neighbourhoods like Beyoğlu and Sultanahme – where churches, bazaars, mosques, and ancient ruins coexist – felt like stepping into different eras. These experiences offered a tangible sense of existing within a complex, multi-layered environment shaped by countless civilisations.

Boyan adds: “Being surrounded by such a unique blend of history, art, and architecture in daily life can feel both overwhelming and, at times, unnoticed. However, living abroad in recent years has given me a new perspective on how deeply the past informs the present. I now have a deeper appreciation for the complex cultural roots of the places I’ve lived and their ability to hold so many histories at once. The Monumental Collection reflects this personal journey, blending classical forms with contemporary craftsmanship to honour the beauty and strength of this layered heritage, while reinterpreting it in a way that feels fresh and modern.”

The Monumental Collection was released in January with an opening vernissage, followed by a two-day exhibition in Montreal. Luminaire Authentik says they hope the collection will conjure discussions on technical processes and artistic breakthrough among the industry, while evoking the public’s curiosity and wonder to see light as a medium for storytelling and artistic expression.

www.luminaireauthetik.com