Mokuren is an award-winning chandelier design inspired by white magnolia and kogei (craftsmanship). The project was developed focusing on the essence of light fusing craft tradition and modernism. Mokuren is also the result of the first collaboration between Lladró and the Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa.
Lladró is a company located in Valencia, Spain that specializes in the field of porcelains and it is the only factory in the world that does this. The company explores the creative potential of porcelains in collaborative projects with famous artists and designers. Sculptures, lighting, design objects, and fashion accessories make up the universe of the brand.
The white magnolia tree is a symbol of eternal bonds and the beauty of plants. At the same time, tradition and modernity are inseparable in the Mokuren chandelier, just as the purity of the metal lines is fused with the delicacy of the handcrafted porcelain flowers.
In addition to the inspiration taken from the white magnolia trees, Fukasawa combined nature, craftsmanship, and design to convey the importance of handmade objects. This also emphasized the statement that value increases once an object is approached through the lens of design. And so, the designer loves to explore the boundary where craft and design overlap and he claims that the line between them should often be erased to create the best objects possible.
All the flowers composing the Mokuren design are handmade with porcelains, a natural material made from combining three locally sourced minerals, namely quartz, kaolin, and feldspar mixed with water. The design of the chandelier also represents Lladró‘s mission which is to give shape to an artistic and artisan work culture that is sustainable and human but also based on passing down a traditional craft from one generation to the next.
In addition to this, the flowers of the magnolia are attributed with meanings like nobility, while their exotic forms are seen as the most beautiful. The light that filters through the porcelain of its petals generates an enveloping illumination. In contrast, the black-lacquered aluminium structure represents the branches of the magnolia. Furthermore, its LED lighting can be regulated in intensity.
Mokuren has won several awards including the LIT Lighting Design Awards.
Photo credit: Lladró