Electric Alternative to Prayer Candles Designed by Marina Daguet
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French designer Marina Daguet has designed a cleaner, modern alternative to the traditional prayer candles found in churches. Named the “Celeste,” these are electric, votive lights that feature illuminated electric tubes in place of wax candles. These sloElectric Alternative to Prayer Candles Designed by Marina Daguet
French designer Marina Daguet has designed a cleaner, modern alternative to the traditional prayer candles found in churches. Named the “Celeste,” these are electric, votive lights that feature illuminated electric tubes in place of wax candles. These slot into openings in a table, forming a circle. After pressing a button or inserting a coin, each tube gradually lights up. They then slowly decrease in brightness until they eventually go off, just like ordinary flames. According to Daguet, the frosted plexiglass gives the light a soft glow, as well as a “ghostly” appearance. Dauget, who started her design studio Episode in 2018 after graduating from the ECAL, began designing the “Celeste” light stand after discovering that many churches were switching from traditional to electric candles due to the black smoke emitted by the burning flames, which mark the walls and ceilings. Moreover, the wax is difficult to clean and the candles have to be regularly replaced, explains the designer. Daguet wanted to offer a product that would solve this issue, while still retaining the symbolic meaning and ritual aspect of the votive candle. As per a project note on the designer’s studio website, Daguet wanted the design of the votive light stand to be both new and recognizable. She chose a circular shape for the table to represent the Christian symbol of homogeneity and unity. The leg is designed to look like a column, to represent a universal church symbol for the connection between the “profane and the sacred world.” The stand is made from steel, with a stone weight built inside for stability. The cylindrical leg has been cut in half through the center and opened up to make the table lighter, and to let light through, describes the project note. As per the project note, through this project, the designer wanted to bring back a contemporary object, gesture, and poetry of an ancient ritual. As described by the designer, “The gestures were, for me, one of the most important aspects. Most of the electric votive light stands in the market removed this interaction. You simply need to press a button or put a coin to light a fixed candle…I wanted to keep the tactile relationship between the believer and the object. So they can take a candle in the middle, hold it in their hands while they pray and place it somewhere in the circle.” “Celeste,” has been designed by Dauget for her studio Episode, which she created in 2018 along with Nathan Baraness. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more