First conceived for Julian Charrière’s Panchronic Gardens exhibition at Perrotin, Paris, these custom-designed oil lamps illuminate the artwork Coalface, 2024 - sculptural mirrors carved from anthracite coal. This once-industrial material, now central to the narrative of planetary decline, functions as both a tool of revelation and ritual. As the lamps activate the reflective surfaces, they cast a living glow on the coal, highlighting its transformation from ancient matter into fuel and the consequences of its combustion. Suspended on the wall in equilibrium, the distorted surfaces of the coal evoke a sense of unease, mirroring the emotional disconnect between humankind and the materials we rely on. The distorted reflections ask us to confront our complicity in the ongoing prevalence of coal and fossil fuels, while the glossy surfaces also recall obsidian and modern technology—symbols of both connection and detachment in our increasingly fractured world.

Text Courtesy of Studio Julian Charrière