BOTTLE LAMP

In January 2024, we were invited by the Africa Arts Kollective (AAK) to Kampala, Uganda, to conduct a design workshop in collaboration with local artisans working with imported waste glass—a material that is difficult to recycle locally. AAK operates an Art Community Center in the Kyebando slum, where residents are trained in glassblowing as a way to create sustainable economic opportunities.

Alongside the workshop, we developed our own series of lamps in close collaboration with the local glassblowers. Using a variety of discarded glass bottles, the lamps were enriched with colorful elements created through pigments and colored glass. To support experimentation, we brought new materials to Kampala, enabling the artisans to explore unfamiliar techniques and aesthetic possibilities while expanding their material knowledge.

The artisans are now continuing their work under the name Masterpiece Development Foundation (MDF). We remain in close contact and are actively exploring ways to further develop this collaboration, with the intention of continuing the project in the very near future.

This project was made possible with the support of Stichting DOEN.