Recycled Lighting Artist Spotlight

 “It takes true creativity and a strong imagination to transform an item into something else with a completely different function. And that’s exactly what artist Carolina Fontoura Alzaga does to create her “CONNECT Series” of lighting fixtures. She collects old bicycles from junkyards and dumpsters and uses the parts to create beautiful chandeliers and lamps.”

Facaro Connect Upcycled Lighting |KitchAnn Style

Carolina Fontoura Alzaga (Caro) is a multidisciplinary artist who operates under the name Facaro and is recognized internationally for her unique perspectives on medium and form.

In the CONNECT Series, Caro reimagines used bike parts to create luxurious, cascading chandeliers.

The lights are a careful balance of style and substance. Each piece is unique and no two quite the same. Photos of the Connect Series are of past stock and each piece is made to order and customizable in Caro’s Victorian Bike Punk style.

Recycled Facaro Connect Lighting |KitchAnn Style

 

Some of the Connect upcycled chandeliers are massive and can take months for the artist to make in L.A. studio.

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Making each chandelier an approximate perfection despite the imperfect nature of the material. I’ve had to surrender to the rhythm of creation and accept regressing in order to progress.”

Recycled Bicycle Connect Lighting |KitchAnn Style

Carolina Fontoura Alzaga was born in Mexico City, then moved to Denver, where she graduated East High School in 1999. She got her BFA from Metro State, where the chandeliers were her thesis piece, in 2007. Her very first chandelier was donated to Derailer, a bicycle collective that dissolved and gave birth to the Bike Pit, where the chandelier still hangs.

Caro’s Facaro studio focuses on art that explores of the “third function” of materials. She hopes that her creations will inspire dialogue about the importance of eco-friendly up-cycling.

Last year she was invited to show her work at Comme des Garçons Trading Museum in Japan, and she recently finished a ten-foot-long, four-foot-wide chandelier commissioned by Heineken.

For more information about Facaro and her work visit  facaro.com.

Recycled Lighted Scuplture

This wicked lamp is titled Deep Sea Angler Fish and is made from recycled bicycle parts, knives and utensils and other found objects. It’s massive – 4 feet wide and 5 feet long – so if you want this for your own you will need ample floor space and a large wallet.

The artist, Justin LaDoux made this as part of a larger collection called “Creatures of the Deep.” The collection was entered in the 2010 ArtPrize contest.

Upcycled Lamps

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

These recycled lamps are a tad bit different from the recycled lamps I usually write about. No recycled plastic bottles or coffee stirrers to be found from in the lighting from Classified Moto.

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

They use various parts like brake rotors, shocks and transmission gears from 70’s and 80’s era Japanese motor bikes in each hand-crafted lamp.

The lamp you buy may look different since Classified Moto says they make the upcycled lamps from parts on hand (but they try to consider special requests).

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

recycled motorcycle lamp | Kitchann Style

(Love this)

recycled motorcycle lamp | KitchAnn Style

Check out the Classified Moto gallery and blog – they like to take pictures!

Recycled Chandeliers

I am past due for a new post on recycled lighting. Sorry for that. These cool lights are by Christian DuCharme, a Swiss designer from Zürich. Previously a set designer and window display artist, Ducharme now works as an interior and accessories designer.

The first light is titled 300 Cups Lamp. As you might guess, it was created from 300 cups. DuCharme’s other lights are made from plastic spoons and coffee filters. I think he really loves coffee or coffee houses.

 This playing card sphere is from graphic designer Nick Sayer. He’s a master at creating geodesic spheres. I especially like the one he made from bicycle reflectors. For the first lamp, 270 recycled poker cards are precisely cut with 4 slits and locked together – no glue! The Coke bottle light is also amazing when I think that it is held together without any adhesive.