While the concentrated, sharp 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 comfortably into our surroundings. Through his striking new collections, appropriately titled Touch and Strut, Coil + Drift founder and principal designer John Sorensen-Jolink embarks on a thoughtful exploration of how vastly different forms of lighting can fundamentally alter the mood of a room and shape the psychological experiences of its inhabitants. Presented together for the first time in Lookout, a compelling new exhibition hosted at Colony in New York City, the body of work contrasts intentional, focused illumination with a warm, atmospheric glow.
As a contemporary dancer turned designer, Sorensen-Jolink brings a deeply embodied, kinetic perspective to the world of object design, maintaining a profound appreciation for the significance of light within a given environment. Whether he is guiding a viewer’s focus across a room, capturing the fleeting nuances of movement, or establishing a deeply resonant emotional ambiance, Sorensen-Jolink recognizes that lighting fundamentally shifts people’s physical and emotional experience of a space. He investigates this intricate relationship throughout the development of Touch and Strut, working closely alongside a specialized team of in-house artisans at his studio to translate his sophisticated understanding of choreography, spatial dynamics, and human movement into sculptural lighting fixtures that feel both architectural and intimate.
The journey toward these collections has been years in the making, deeply rooted in the designer’s personal history and his ongoing dialogue with the built environment. Touch effectively reimagines the theatrical spotlight, transforming it from an industrial, impersonal apparatus into a refined domestic object suitable for everyday living. This design direction draws direct inspiration from Sorensen-Jolink’s early encounters with specialized 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 illumination across the living spaces.
Although he was initially resistant to this dominant, highly dramatic, and somewhat impersonal light source during his youth, Sorensen-Jolink eventually found himself returning to the concept of the spotlight with a newfound appreciation and a hands-on approach in Touch. Constructed primarily from durable brass or sleek steel, the pieces within the Touch collection feature highly adjustable, cylindrical shades and slender, graceful stems. These thoughtful engineering details allow users to manually pivot and direct the beams of light wherever they are needed most, while integrated wooden accents introduce an essential element of tactile warmth. Rather than remaining fixed and static within the interior architecture, Touch empowers light to shift fluidly in response to the changing needs of the room, successfully balancing mechanical precision with the comforting intimacy of human touch.
Reflecting on the psychological and spatial impact of this specific lighting typology, Sorensen-Jolink offers insight into its theatrical origins. When you are standing within a concentrated pool of light, he explains, you are fundamentally "on" and performing for an audience; conversely, when you step outside of that illuminated boundary, you can sort of disappear into the shadows and find respite.
While Touch is explicitly designed to foster concentration, alertness, and theatrical focus, its companion collection, Strut, introduces a quiet, grounding ambiance intended to support the natural, everyday rhythms of domestic life. The conceptual origins of Strut can be traced back to the rugged, exposed wooden frameworks of historical fire lookout towers scattered across the landscapes of the Catskill and Rocky Mountains. The collection translates this sense of quiet structural utility into a series of refined wooden lighting fixtures, which are further elevated by subtle metal detailing and a very intentional, poetic use of negative space. Furthermore, the fixtures feature elongated linen shades, which draw partial inspiration from Sorensen-Jolink’s personal collection of vintage, cloth-shaded lamps. Together, these elements emit an enveloping, gentle glow that feels remarkably reminiscent of a glowing ember or a warm campfire on a cool evening.
Taken together, the collections embody two distinct yet complementary approaches to spatial illumination, both of which are deeply informed by the constantly shifting natural light that surrounds Sorensen-Jolink’s studio in the Catskills. Through their contrasting physical forms, careful proportions, and rich material palettes, Touch and Strut work in harmony to balance focused, directional illumination with softer, more ambient layers of light, ultimately bringing the natural, cyclical rhythms of sun and shade directly into the contemporary home.
Lookout is on view through October 21 at Colony Gallery in New York City.
