While the concentrated light of a spotlight compels us to take center stage, the soft glow of a shaded lamp invites us to decompress and settle in. Through his new collections Touch and Strut, Coil + Drift founder John Sorensen-Jolink explores how different lighting designs can profoundly affect a room and the people who inhabit it. Presented together in Lookout, a compelling new exhibition currently on view at Colony in New York City, the designer contrasts intentional, theatrical illumination with a warm, atmospheric glow, offering a nuanced meditation on how light shapes our domestic environments.
As a contemporary dancer turned designer, Sorensen-Jolink understands the profound significance of light in shaping human experience. Whether he is guiding focus, capturing the nuance of movement, or establishing a specific emotional ambiance, lighting invariably shifts people’s perception and experience of a space. He explores this dynamic relationship deeply in both Touch and Strut, working closely with a specialized team of in-house artisans to translate his sophisticated understanding of choreography, movement, and spatial volume into tangible, sculptural lighting objects.
Reimagining the Theatrical Spotlight for the Home
Touch reimagines the dramatic spotlight as a functional domestic object, drawing direct inspiration from Sorensen-Jolink’s early encounters with theatrical lighting during his formative years. Growing up in a home that had been meticulously renovated by a theater worker, he was constantly surrounded by dimly lit interiors where recessed fixtures and track lighting cast sharp, concentrated pools of light. Although he was initially resistant to this dominant, somewhat impersonal light source during his youth, Sorensen-Jolink eventually found himself returning to the concept of the spotlight, approaching it with a renewed, hands-on sensibility for this latest collection.
Constructed primarily from enduring materials such as brass and steel, the pieces within the Touch collection feature adjustable, cylindrical shades and slender, architectural stems. These thoughtful engineering details allow users to smoothly pivot the light beams to their liking, while warm wooden accents are integrated throughout to emphasize tactility and soften the industrial edge of the metals. Rather than remaining static or fixed in place, Touch allows light to shift dynamically in response to the changing needs of a room, masterfully balancing mechanical precision with the intimate warmth of human touch.
Reflecting on the psychological and spatial impact of these designs, Sorensen-Jolink explains the core philosophy behind the collection. "When you’re in a pool of light, you’re on, you’re performing," he notes, describing the psychological shift that occurs under concentrated illumination. "When you step out, you can sort of disappear."
Translating the Quiet Utility of Fire Lookout Towers
While Touch is explicitly designed to foster focus and theatrical presence, its companion collection, Strut, introduces a quiet, grounding ambiance intended to support the steady, everyday rhythms of a modern home. Inspired by the exposed, rugged wooden frameworks of historic fire lookout towers found scattered across the Catskill and Rocky Mountains, this collection translates a unique form of quiet utility into beautifully crafted wooden lighting fixtures. These pieces feature subtle metal detailing and an intentional, artistic use of negative space that allows the surrounding architecture to breathe.
The collection incorporates elongated linen shades, which were inspired in part by Sorensen-Jolink’s personal collection of vintage cloth-shaded lamps. Together, these elements emit an enveloping, gentle glow reminiscent of a glowing ember or a crackling campfire on a quiet night. This rustic yet refined warmth serves as a direct counterpoint to the sharper, more directional beams of the Touch series, providing homeowners with versatile tools to curate their interior environments according to their emotional and practical needs.
Balancing Focus and Ambient Light
Together, the Touch and Strut collections embody two distinct yet complementary approaches to domestic illumination. Both lines are deeply informed by the ever-changing natural light that surrounds Sorensen-Jolink’s studio in the Catskills, where the interplay of dense forests, open skies, and shifting weather patterns constantly redefines the landscape. Through their distinct forms, meticulous craftsmanship, and carefully chosen materials, Touch and Strut successfully balance focused illumination with softer, ambient light, gracefully introducing the organic, natural rhythms of sun and shade directly into the contemporary home.
Lookout is on view until Oct. 21 at Colony Gallery in New York City.
