Grouping objects in odd numbers heightens their appeal, creating a sense of visual intrigue. Clusters of things in an odd numbered set form a powerful three-dimensional combination, forcing the eye to move around and across the grouping. The effect works to engage our attention and is further enhanced by the manipulation of light, colour and space.

Based in Valencia, the contemporary Ma Khin Café was the setting of Marivi Calvo´s latest LZF photo shoot. On show were two handsome LZF models: New Wave by Irish designer Ray Power and Cuad by German designer Burkhard Dammer. Demonstrating the power of combination, New Wave was arranged in an irregular group of five lights, while Cuad was displayed as a group of three lamps, aligned in a straight row. In both cases the visual impact is arresting and evidence of the power of odd numbers.

Beautifully styled by Rocio Pastor and shot by Santiago Relanzón, the images blend a sultry mood with sharp lighting. The New Wave lamp’s shapely and slinky form is intensified by the application of a new colour combination: blue with yellow. Powerfully emotive, the combination is confident and serene, having depth and reflecting calm. Appearing in a turquoise wood veneer, the Cuad light illuminates the space with its quiet midcentury-esque charm. In both instances, Santiago Relanzon captures the atmospheric feeling of blue perfectly, where every detail is visible and clear.

Reflecting Valencia’s coast location, the images of New Wave in its blue/yellow combination and Cuad in its turquoise colouring, evoke a sense of the Mediterranean, with its fabled blue skies and greenish-blue waters. Probe deeper and the images are perhaps redolent of Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period, a time in the early 20th century when the Spanish artist painted only in shades of blue and blue-green. Indeed, Marivi Calvo and Santiago Relanzón have captured the images in such a way that many references to blue are possible. It is that power of combination, the manner in which these images weave colour, objects, people and lighting, that is wholly superb. They express the possibilities of LZF’s lighting combinations, where striking fixtures work to augment the setting.

Written by  Gerard McGuickin