While the concentrated, piercing light of a spotlight compels us to take center stage and demands our undivided attention, the soft, diffused glow of a shaded lamp invites us to decompress, unwind, and settle into our surroundings. This subtle yet profound psychological shift in how humans experience interior spaces forms the conceptual foundation of two new lighting collections, Touch and Strut, created by John Sorensen-Jolink, the founder of the contemporary design studio Coil + Drift.
Presented together in a comprehensive new exhibition titled Lookout, currently on view at Colony in New York City, these works explore the distinct emotional boundaries created by intentional, highly focused illumination versus soft, atmospheric glowing. The exhibition offers visitors a masterclass in how lighting can fundamentally alter not just the aesthetic of a room, but the psychological well-being of the people who inhabit it.
As a contemporary dancer turned designer, Sorensen-Jolink brings a deeply embodied perspective to his work, possessing an innate, physical understanding of the significance of light. Whether it is being used to guide a viewer’s focus across a room, capture the dynamic arc of a physical movement, or establish a calming, grounding ambiance, lighting dramatically shifts people’s perception and lived experience of space. He explores this complex relationship in both Touch and Strut, working closely with a specialized team of in-house artisans at his studio to translate his profound understanding of movement, spatial geometry, and sculptural form into physical lighting fixtures that feel both architectural and intimate.
The journey toward these collections began long before the pieces were ever sketched, drawing deeply from Sorensen-Jolink’s childhood memories. 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 harsh, concentrated pools of illumination. Though he was initially resistant to this dominant, impersonal light source during his youth, Sorensen-Jolink ultimately returned to the concept of the spotlight with a newfound appreciation, adopting a hands-on, highly considered approach in the creation of Touch.
Touch effectively reimagines the theatrical spotlight, bringing it out of the commercial or performance-based realm and adapting it thoughtfully into a domestic object. Constructed primarily from rich brass or sturdy steel, the collection features adjustable, cylindrical shades and slender, graceful stems that allow users to actively manipulate and pivot the light beams. Furthermore, the inclusion of carefully integrated wooden accents emphasizes a tactile quality, ensuring the metal fixtures never feel cold or industrial.
Rather than remaining static or fixed in place like traditional architectural lighting, Touch allows light to shift dynamically in response to the layout and immediate needs of a room, striking a careful balance between mechanical precision and the warm intimacy of human interaction.
“When you’re in a pool of light, you’re on, you’re performing,” Sorensen-Jolink explains, articulating the theatrical psychology embedded in the designs. “When you step out, you can sort of disappear.”
In direct contrast to the performative nature of Touch, the Strut collection introduces a quiet, contemplative ambiance that is specifically intended to support the slow, everyday rhythms of home life. While Touch fosters acute focus and engagement, Strut is designed to recede into the background, providing a comforting emotional anchor for domestic spaces.
The aesthetic origins of Strut are just as unconventional as those of its counterpart, drawing inspiration from the exposed wooden structural frameworks of historic fire lookout towers scattered across the Catskill and Rocky Mountains. The collection successfully translates this rugged, quiet utility into refined wooden lighting fixtures, which are elevated by subtle metal detailing and a very intentional, thoughtful use of negative space.
Complementing these architectural wooden structures are elongated linen shades. These shades were inspired, in part, by Sorensen-Jolink’s personal collection of vintage cloth-shaded lamps, and they emit an enveloping, gentle glow that feels remarkably reminiscent of a glowing ember or a crackling campfire on a quiet evening.
Taken together, these two distinct collections embody two fundamentally contrasting approaches to domestic illumination. Both lines are deeply informed by the ever-changing light and natural landscape surrounding Sorensen-Jolink’s studio in the Catskills. Through their distinct forms, sophisticated material palettes, and thoughtful engineering, Touch and Strut successfully balance focused illumination with softer, ambient light, gracefully introducing the natural, cyclical rhythms of sun and shade directly into the modern home.
The Lookout exhibition is currently on view until October 21 at the Colony Gallery in New York City.
