If you’ve opened an Australian interior design magazine over the past few years – and likely some international – you will have seen Sarah Nedovic Gaunt’s ceramic lamps and candlesticks in countless spreads – on shelves, on coffee tables, on bedsides.
Demand for her sculptural but practical works boomed almost as soon as she established her practice, back in 2018, and they have become statement pieces in many homes across Australia and overseas. Dior even commissioned two of Nedovic Gaunt’s lamps for its floating spa on the Seine this year.
Nedovic Gaunt’s latest creation is a triangular wall sconce, in four iterations, inspired by one of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings – the Gothic-style Manchester Unity Building.
The sconces “emit a soft, ambient light,” Nedovic Gaunt says, “which gives the feeling of a sculptural art piece more than a light fixture.”
There are four variations of the simple but striking design, and colourways include natural white, amber brown, terracotta and black, with more colours to come in 2023.
We caught up with Melbourne-based ceramicist, whose light-filled studio is located near the Botanic Gardens, to talk about her latest collection.
Broadsheet: What inspired the form of your new sconces?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: They’re inspired by the repetition and symmetry of the Manchester Unity Building, in Melbourne’s CBD, designed by Marcus Barlow and completed in 1932. The tower is almost completely covered in terracotta tiles, which I love. When I discovered this, it made me feel like the possibilities of designing and using clay were limitless.
Broadsheet: How long did it take you to perfect the design?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: The first version of this wall sconce was made back in late 2020. Looking back, the initial designs were small and clunky. But two years on and after countless revisions, I am thrilled to finally show the collection.
Broadsheet: What was the most challenging thing about getting it right?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: The electrical wiring was a big challenge. Melbourne was in and out of lockdown in 2020, so I was trying to construct and learn how to build the electrical backplate myself. I eventually engaged a supplier to help me.
Broadsheet: What words would you use to describe the pieces?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: Balanced, natural, timeless.
Broadsheet: What are they made with?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: Local Australian clay.
Broadsheet: What kind of light does the sconce diffuse?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: They emit a soft, ambient light, which gives the feeling of a sculptural art piece more than a light fixture.
Broadsheet: What has drawn you to creating pieces that are so connected to light: lamps, candlesticks and now sconces?
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt: I like making objects that have a purpose, and lighting is emotive – it can really set the tone of the space. Sconces felt like a natural progression in my practice. I feel like I can be more experimental with my designs going forward, and these bridge a space between wall art and functional lighting.
Sarah Nedovic Gaunt’s tiered wall sconces come in three height sizes: single and single V, 30cm; double, 45cm; triple, 60cm. The single tier is $1375+GST and the double tier is $2070 +GST. The triple tier is POA.
