Bubble Ball Pendant - / Medium- Vertical patterns by Hay White

The collection of Bubble ceiling lights was designed in 1952 by Georges Nelson (1908 – 1986), influential designer of the modern movement in the middle of the 20th century in the United States. Georges Nelson created numerous products which are now considered as icons of mid-century modernism. To create the Bubble collection, Nelson took inspiration from Swedish ceiling lights upholstered in silk that he wanted to acquire for his office. He fell completely under the spell of their charming, avant-garde look, but was, however, dissuaded by their price. "The Swedish design consisted of a silk upholstery which was very difficult to manufacture: they had to cut out pleats before sewing them onto a metallic frame. But no matter what, I wanted one at any cost", wrote Nelson. Inventive and bold, Nelson decided to set about manufacturing a lamp by spraying a plastic resin over a steel frame, an innovative technique developed at the time by the American army. In just two days the first prototype was designed. Once the technique was developed, Nelson created a collection of spherical, simple, natural and organic forms. The lampshade of the Bubble pendant consists of a translucent polymer fabric stretched over a fine steel frame. Via the transparency, the frame forms delicate, criss-crossed and vertical patterns. The Bubble ceiling lights adorn the space with their pure and original presence. These evanescent and gentle forms produce a warm and diffuse light. The Bubble pendant marked a revolution in the modernist lighting industry. Bubble represents the spirit of the 50s and the desire to break with the classicism of existing models.