How AITHER came into being
Lenka Kerlická's vision was achieved by the designer Eliška Monsportová, who created a design from the assigned mood boards, and at the same time took care of the precise technical process during each step. Eliška herself will guide you through the demanding creation process of AITHÉR.
The shape of the aroma lamp is based on moods. In my imagination, textures and traces were being created and interweaved. They seemed to be left by a gentle breeze, a scent floating through the air, a stormy sea, loose sand, or sociable voices at a dinner table.
The object which carries all these moods was created. In some places, the texture of the aroma lamp is fine, fragile, and in other places turbulent and raw.
The shape needed to be molded into silicone so that I could create castings. Then I made a mold from the wax, which disintegrates after blowing. Therefore, a new mold is needed for each piece and the resulting shape is always unique. However, it does not mean there is one final product from each mold. Sometimes, no final product is successfully made from a mold. Glass is fragile and it often happens that something splinters or breaks at some stage of the process. However, this must be accounted for in production.
When the wax is embedded in plaster, it is necessary to melt it out of the mold in a special steaming box. After this is done, the mold is cleaned and mini holes acting as air vents are made in its surface. Their function is to divert hot steam during the blowing process, and the glass perfectly imprints the desired texture. After cooling in the annealing chamber oven, the excess glass, created by the blowpipe, is cut off.
The future aroma lamp needs to be ground on the surface so it stands straight. The hole for the bowl is drilled and the upper hole needs to be shaped by a hand grinder. This part of the production is very risky for each piece because it might shatter due to the small but powerful vibrations which happen during drilling and grinding. To erase traces of the tools from the lamp, each piece is bathed in an acid that polishes the matte surface. An important manual part is also the production of a brass bowl by Mr. Poledne.
When the metal production is finished, the brass stand for the bowl is fitted perfectly on each aroma lamp. Because each piece is different, more time and patience are needed to ensure everything fits nicely and that the bowl can proudly spread the scent into the room. Attention is also paid to the Czech-made glass. Can it summon mysterious, vibrating shadows that warm the heart of everyone who appreciates the long journey it had to overcome?
