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 lighting collections, Touch and Strut, Coil + Drift founder John Sorensen-Jolink explores how different forms of illumination profoundly affect both a room and its inhabitants. Presented together in a new exhibition titled Lookout at Colony in New York City, the works contrast intentional, focused illumination with a warm, atmospheric glow.
As a contemporary dancer turned designer, Sorensen-Jolink intimately understands the significance of light within a physical environment. Whether guiding focus, capturing movement, or establishing a distinct emotional ambiance, lighting fundamentally shifts people’s experience of a space. He explores this dynamic relationship in Touch and Strut, collaborating closely with a specialized team of in-house artisans to translate his sophisticated understanding of movement and space into tangible, sculptural lighting objects.
Reimagining the Domestic Spotlight in Touch
The Touch collection reimagines the theatrical spotlight as a functional domestic object, drawing direct inspiration from Sorensen-Jolink’s early encounters with theatrical lighting. Growing up in a home that had been renovated by a theater worker, he was constantly surrounded by dimly lit interiors where recessed and track lighting cast concentrated pools of illumination. Though he was initially resistant to this dominant and impersonal light source during his youth, Sorensen-Jolink ultimately returned to the concept of the spotlight with a fresh, hands-on perspective in his new collection.
Constructed primarily from solid brass or steel, the pieces in the Touch collection feature adjustable, cylindrical shades and slender stems. These mechanical elements allow users to pivot and direct the beams of light effortlessly, while carefully integrated wooden accents emphasize a sense of tactility and warmth. Rather than remaining fixed or static, Touch allows light to shift dynamically in response to the room it occupies, successfully balancing mechanical precision with the comforting intimacy of human touch.
Reflecting on the psychological and spatial impact of these fixtures, Sorensen-Jolink explains the core philosophy behind the design. “When you’re in a pool of light, you’re on, you’re performing,” he notes. “When you step out, you can sort of disappear.” This theatrical duality gives users the power to curate their immediate environment, choosing when to step into focus and when to recede into the comfortable shadows of a room.
Finding Quiet Utility in Strut
While the Touch collection fosters intense focus and active engagement, the Strut collection introduces a quiet, steady ambiance designed to support the everyday rhythms of a modern home. This series draws its primary inspiration from the exposed wooden frameworks of historic fire lookout towers scattered across the Catskill and Rocky Mountains. By translating this rugged, quiet utility into refined wooden lighting fixtures, Sorensen-Jolink incorporates subtle metal detailing and an intentional, thoughtful use of negative space.
The fixtures feature elongated linen shades, which were inspired in part by the designer’s personal collection of vintage cloth-shaded lamps. These shades emit an enveloping, diffused glow that is reminiscent of a quiet ember or a warm campfire, fostering an atmosphere of calm and introspection. Together, the Touch and Strut collections embody two contrasting yet complementary approaches to illumination. Informed heavily by the constantly changing natural light surrounding Sorensen-Jolink’s studio in the Catskills, these distinct forms and materials successfully balance focused illumination with softer, ambient light, gracefully introducing the natural rhythms of sun and shade directly into domestic interiors.
The comprehensive Lookout exhibition, showcasing both the Touch and Strut collections, is on view until October 21 at Colony Gallery in New York City.
