FEYZA KEMAHLIOGLU
FEYZA KEMAHLIOGLU
Inspired by the architecture and culture of her native Istanbul, Feyza Kemahlioglu has created a unique lighting collection entitled Pillars of Meerschaum. Meerschaum (German for “sea-foam”) is a soft white clay mineral found mainly in Eskisehir, a small city in central Turkey. Master Turkish craftsman carve the Meerschaum with intricate patterns and perforations to diffuse the light. The stone is then combined with hand-blown glass and brass elements created in New York. The blown glass compliments the detailing of the Meerschaum with the addition of delicate textures made with cane and gold leaf.
By taking this antiquated material and giving it a contemporary aesthetic and function, Feyza marries the old and the new to create timeless designs that are studies into the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity.
Feyza Kemahlioglu’s Glowing Sentiments series features LED-illuminated hand-blown glass globes and glass jars paired with intricately carved Meerschaum totems, a clay mineral historically crafted by Turkish artisans. Inspired by the charm necklace’s sentimental symbolism, each individual sculptural piece holds a unique character, linked by delicate chains, evoking the shared connections of human experience.
Kemahlioglu draws on the ancient Murrine glass technique, a 4,000-year-old method refined by Venetian artisans in Murano, to create dynamic, three-dimensional patterns with glass of varying transparencies. The interplay of color and shifting opacity transforms her designs into works that are both geometric and painterly. Further exploration of mirrored and frosted glass enhances light diffusion, producing a kaleidoscopic interplay of visual texture that reimagines tradition through a contemporary lens.
Glowing Setiments III, 2024
Meerschaum, blown glass, metal, LED
102 x 12 x 12 inches
Glowing Sentiments 3: Blue Jean, 2024
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
Glowing Sentiments 3: Rose Murrine, 2024
12 x 12 x 12 inches
Blown glass, brass, LED
20 x 6 x 6 inches
Glowing Sentiments 3: Gray Cylinder, 2024
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
Glowing Setiments I, 2021 Meerschaum, blown glass, metal, LED
Glowing Sentiments 3: Clear Cylinder, 2024
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
20 x 6 x 6 inches
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
60 x 10 x 10 inches
Glowing Sentiments 3: Pink Web Pillar, 2024
Sunset Drive Collection, 2021
Meerschaum, brass, blown glass, LEDs
Meerschaum, brass, blown glass, LEDs
96 x 12 x 12 inches
The Sunset Drive Collection debuted as a 5 pendant collection in 2021 at Design Miami. It is a colorful experiment into light and reflectivity.
“Thinking about a drive during sunset, amazed by the vivid colors and cloud formations, when cars pass by and you see moments of the bright headlights of cars passing by, I wanted to create a collection of pendant lights that are meant to be experienced from different angles and distances.”
Made of sunset-hued mirrored glass cylinders and Meerschaum, a solid clay mineral found mainly in Eskisehir, in central Turkey, Sunset Drive is a collection of pendants, featuring a medley of shapes, forms, textures and colors. From afar, the whole piece seems solid, but upon closer examination the intricate hand carved floral and graphic patterns become visible with the glowing light shining through. Turkish craftsman carved the Meerschaum with intricate patterns and perforations to diffuse the light. The sandblasted glass globes emit a soft romantic light, giving an impression of the haze before nightfall.
Sunset Rose Pendant, 2022
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass and LEDs
48 x 12 x 12 inches
Pillars of Meerschaum, 2022
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
50 x 10 x 10 inches
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
Pendant: 108 x 12 x 12 inches
Floor Gem: 16 x 16 x 16 inches
(right) Treasures Untold Gem Pendant, 2022
(left) Treasures Untold Rocky Pendant, 2022
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, gold leaf, and LEDs
40 x 8 x 8 inches
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, LED
60 x 6 x 6 in
(right) Pillars of Meerschaum Sconces, 2018
(left) Pillars of Meerschaum: Amber Treasure, 2018
Meerschaum, blown glass, brass, gold leaf, and LEDs
72 x 12 x 12 inches
Pillars of Meerschaum: Evening White, 2018
Borne of reverence for Ottoman calligraphy and the unmatched craftsmanship that still exists in Istanbul, Dream in Calligraphy celebrates the harmony of tradition, creativity, and light that is Kemahlioglu’s signature. The molded brass structure of the chandelier has been gracefully formed it into a three-dimensional representation reminiscent of calligraphy’s graceful flow and movement.
Dream in Calligraphy, 2023
Meerschaum, blown glass, metal, LED
48 x 40 x 36 inches
