IRRATIONAL FLAMES
Reading time: 4 min
AT THE ORIGIN OF THE IRRATIONAL FLAMES X NATACHA BIRDS COLLABORATION
How can I give meaning to the objects I make?
Answering this question has always been my priority, even before drawing the first pencil stroke.
It seems to me more essential today than ever, in a market saturated with beautiful objects, where 3D printing no longer has much originality and where ecological arguments have become simple formalities. Freeing oneself from marketing clichés has become essential for any designer in search of a true identity.
It is precisely with this in mind that I designed the brand universe around my lamps. Thanks to the imaginary cities that accompany them, they no longer simply illuminate a space, but invite self-exploration, with the theme of travel as a common thread.
If this approach was above all personal, I always wanted to open it up to other sensibilities, to share it with an artist driven by the same desire: to transcend the material to tell a story.
This is how Natacha Birds ’ work appeared as an obvious choice.
WHEN PAINTING BECOMES LIGHT
“Painting is my prayer.”
These words from Natacha immediately touched me. Because for me, creating lamps is about maintaining an inner flame, a passion that I seek to awaken in everyone, not as an evangelist, but with a more philosophical than religious message.
It was this shared vision - that of two creators exploring different paths, while sharing the same intention - that gave birth to the Irrational Flames X Natacha Birds collaboration . All that remained was to find the object that would embody it.
The idea came from Natacha: the iris . A flower that she describes in these terms: "It embodies faith, hope and the quest for wisdom. Its slender shape and delicate petals evoke spiritual elevation and inner renewal."
That was all it took to convince me!
A POETICALLY TECHNICAL CREATION
The first sketches made together aimed to merge the vaporous universe of Irrational Flames with the delicate and floral aesthetic of Natacha Birds .
The result? A contemporary reinterpretation of the flower lamp. Sleek, elegant, timeless.
But behind this apparent simplicity, IRIS hides a real technical challenge.
Its large-format version is composed of nine separate pieces, 3D printed, carefully sanded and then assembled by hand with meticulous precision. To ensure a fluid continuity between its different parts, every detail has been thought out, right down to the internal joint connecting the two elements forming a petal of the base. Much more than a simple structural element, this technical subtlety becomes an aesthetic asset: once the lamp is lit, the joint is drawn in shadow, harmoniously following the curves of the petal, like a natural extension.
The small version retains the slender petals that are the identity of IRIS , while resting on a more minimalist foot. In both formats, these petals adopt a texture specific to my creations: a play of materials between the softness of a fabric with iridescent reflections and the brilliance of blown glass.
A SUPPLEMENT, TO SUBLIMATE!
To give this collaboration its full dimension, each lamp is accompanied by an exclusive painting by Natacha Birds and a text co-written by four hands. A story that delves into the inspirations and symbolism of IRIS .
F Made entirely in France, in my workshop, each lamp is numbered and produced in a limited series: 33 copies per color and per version .
IN CONCLUSION: CHANGE OF ROUTE
Some encounters have the power to surprise us to the point of changing our view of ourselves and the world. This is what makes travel so inspiring and enriching.
The one I undertook with Natacha Birds called into question many aspects of my approach and my aspirations. Today, I am certain that I will never travel alone again.
While waiting for the next stopovers, let yourself be carried away by IRIS → ALL IRIS LAMPS
-Romain Gratiot
State-certified architect and founder of the Irrational Flames brand