Fresnel Cube Table Lamp

Update: Moma.org no longer sells this product but it can still be purchased at Corning Museum of Glass or directly from the artist.

A cube within a cube within a cube…

Infinite arrays of translucent cubes within a bigger glass cube aglow with all the colors of the rainbow, it sure looks like something off of the film, “Inception.” Made of dichroic glass and illumined by a LED lightbulb, the Fresnel cube table lamp is designed to brighten up your space both as a breathtaking light art masterpiece and a sophisticated desk lamp. What seems to be a cube containing countless smaller cubes are in fact two glass blocks, one inside the other, endlessly reflecting each other while producing a bedazzling display of light in multiple hues. It’s a lamp in the shape of a box with out-of-the-box form and function.
$1k – $5k
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It’s a dichroic infinity cube table lamp

New York-based artist Sean Augustine March designed the Fresnel cube table lamp in 2015 and brought it to life in 2017. He named the piece after Augustin-Jean Fresnel, a 19th-century French physicist widely known for the lighthouse lenses he invented.

The lamp’s main material, dichroic borosilicate glass, changes colors and depths as you view it from different angles. It produces multicolored light thanks to thin-film interference, which happens when light waves reflected on a thin film’s opposite sides interfere with one another. That’s the same phenomenon behind Fresnel lenses as well as rainbows on butterfly wings, soap bubbles, and oil spills.

Let there be light, color, and wonder on your desktop!

Awesome product features

  • 200,000+ hours of light: Not only is the Fresnel cube table lamp magically iridescent; it also stays alight for long. Its built-in 5-watt LED lightbulb has a lifespan of 200,000+ hours or 23+ years! Keep your office table well-lighted while saving on replacement costs and energy in the long run.
  • Hard to break: Borosilicate glass lends its durability to the lamp, making it sturdier than ordinary table lamps. The glass can withstand most chemicals and rapid temperature changes, and it’s less prone to breakage compared to common glass. With proper care, of course, your cube will stay in place and in one piece.
  • Tantalizing interior décor: Yellow incandescent light might look quite dim and white fluorescent light too bright; sadly, both can be dull. The kaleidoscopic cube will break the monotony of any plain-vanilla home or office interior. Its light will paint a room with a vibrant assortment of colors, transforming your space from simple to splendid.

Who will appreciate this as a gift

Artworks are precious and lamps are useful. Why not give your loved one a light sculpture that serves both purposes?

The Fresnel cube table lamp is a prized treasure for light art connoisseurs and general art enthusiasts. Work-from-home, night-owl professionals will find it a fab and fun alternative to the usual desk lamp. Either way, the meticulously crafted lamp is a single item that imbues an otherwise boring place with a whole spectrum of radiance. It’s a spectacle of art and physics.

Because you need to know

Are there any variations of the lamp?

The Fresnel cube table lamp comes in two sizes: Fresnel Major, 10” x 10” x 10.5”, and Fresnel Minor, 5” x 5” x 5.5”. The two share the same material and lighting features. Take your pick, depending on how much space you have for it on your desk!

Is it on display at museums?

Yes, a Fresnel Major is currently among the collections displayed at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. This and more of Sean’s artworks have been featured in Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s design store, Galleria Melissa in Soho, and various magazines.

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