Life as Art

Japanese Paper and the Poet of Light: Ingo Maurer

Design often walks a fine line between utility and beauty, but now and then, a creation emerges that reaches a certain level of brilliance, challenging the boundaries of what design can be. Such is the legacy of Ingo Maurer, a visionary lighting designer whose creations merge art, sculpture, and the magic of light. One of his most iconic masterpieces, the Zettel’z 5, exemplifies this philosophy.

Emerging at the end of the ‘90s, the Zettel’z 5 chandelier quickly became a beloved piece among art and design enthusiasts. This particular chandelier, decades later is still shown in many homes featured in current design magazines and media outlets. Crafted from stainless steel, heat-resistant satin-finish glass, and delicate Japanese paper, it is more than just a light fixture; it was and is a canvas for creativity. With 31 pre-printed sheets and 49 blank sheets, Maurer invited owners to make the Zettel’z 5 their own, transforming it into a personal message board of love letters, sketches, and thoughts.

The Zettel’z 5 is not just an object; it’s an interactive experience. Owners can play with its design by rearranging the steel wires and positioning the paper sheets for personalization to their liking. This allows each chandelier to take on a unique form, dictated by the hands and imagination of its owner. The light it emits is just as dynamic—depending on the arrangement of the sheets, it can cast both direct and diffused light, altering the mood of the space it inhabits. Its flexibility extends to the entire structure and in some respects mimics that of a large mobile. It’s this fluidity and poetic approach to lighting design that has earned Ingo Maurer his reputation as the “poet of light.”

Maurer’s design achievements extend beyond the Zettel’z 5. Since the late 1980s, his works have been showcased in exhibitions around the globe, including the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. His creative genius didn’t stop at traditional lighting; Maurer pioneered the use of LEDs in the design world. His first LED creation, Bellissima Brutta, appeared in 1996, and he also continued to experiment with organic lighting systems well into the 2000s.

Ingo Maurer’s legacy is not just in the lamps and installations he created for public and private spaces, but in his ability to transform light into something tangible, poetic, and deeply personal. His vision like many artists is to create an art piece that encourages its owners to step into the role artist and observer, additionally allowing light to be molded by the ideas and feelings they wish to express. There are many talented artists and designers today, but often it takes the interpretation of decades to identify those whose personal style will leave a lasting mark for a lifetime.