London-born artist and designer Christina Z Antonio recently released her Helios lighting and chair collection in a sublime purple gradient using hand-blown glass, neon, stacked leather and fuzzy alpaca, inspired both by the healing power of light and James Turrell’s 2013 Guggenheim exhibit “Aten Reign.” Luxe caught up with Antonio from her Chelsea studio in Manhattan to learn more about her process.
How were you drawn to the healing powers of light? Light has always played a central role in my meditation practice. When I am able to visualize light, it becomes one of the most powerful modalities in healing.
Tell us about the glass-blowing process. When you play with the nature of glass, it’s so expansive. It’s fluid and it’s always in motion—it’s truly a dance. The color fade and bioluminescent effect was something we worked hard to achieve.
Why focus on lighting and chairs for this collection? I never imagined them together originally, but as I was creating a space where they coexist, I felt they related so well. In essence, they are experiential sculptural pieces.
