Creativity is interesting solutions for interesting problems.
Unique and mesmerizing mind-bending animations that blur the line between reality and fantasy: this is the distinctive style in the art of Oscar Pettersson, a Stockholm-based 3D motion designer participating in our “What’s in a Lamp?” project.
In his series of artworks he brings Foscarini’s iconic designs to life with hypnotic looping animations that are out of this world. Taking inspiration from the design stories behind some of the company’s most loved lamps, he transformed those stories into captivating neverending loops.
The luminous core of Eugeni Quitllet’s Satellight is a fragment of light that flies, seeking freedom. Le Soleil by Garcia Jimenez spins and magically holds a metal ball in balance on the edge of its irregular bands. In another artwork, the organic, irregular shape of Gregg by L+R Palomba is created when flying spheres collide while Giulio Iachetti’s Magneto dances with its signature magnetic sphere, like a snake charmer mesmerizing his cobra. Marc Sadler’s Twiggy dances a graceful choreography, that highlights the flexibility of its stem and you are soothed by the rhythmic swaying of a pendulum made of Aplomb suspension lamps by Lucidi e Pevere.
Want to dive deeper into the mind of this talented artist? Don’t miss our exclusive interview.
Tell us a bit about the beginning of your career as an artist. How did you get into digital art and what motivates you to create?
I studied at a school called Hyper Island when I realized that animation was something that I wanted to become really good at. I started out as a 2D animation but then I started to lean into more and more 3D and now I’ve been a 3D animation for the last 7 years.
The feeling when you’re working on something that you think will be good is priceless. That feeling motives me to create, create and create, until I finally create something good.
To sum that up: Creating something good feels good
Your looping animations are at the same time delicate and mesmerizing. What is the creative process behind your artworks?
My process is very iterative. I make a lot of quick animation concepts in 3D, then I’ll take a couple of them and make iterations out of them and hopefully something interesting starts to appear. Usually there is a visual problem and a visual solution. If I can find a problem I can create a solution. Solutions are satisfying to look at. There is always an interesting concept behind every problem.
How did you develop your distinct style of portraying surreal situations, exceeding the boundaries of what’s physically possible?
My style have been developed by what I have liked to create. And for every piece I create I realize more what I want to create. Perfect timing rarely exists in the real world so that’s why I’m creating it for my viewers to appreciate and enjoy perfection on repeat, forever.
Talking about your sources of inspiration, Your work involves a lot of creativity, looking to reality from a different, original perspective. How do you achieve this?
I draw a lot of inspiration from engineering and mechanics. Then I combine that complexity with simplicity. Then I try to find contractions in the design. Hugging cactus, soft metal or heavy feathers. And during the whole process I’m open to iterate in every possible way and every moment. That usually leads to some creative perspectives.
What did inspire you in the project “What’s in a lamp?” with Foscarini?
The Design of the products are amazing, so I only had to find an interesting way to portray their functionality through concept and animation. Great designs are always inspiring for an animator.
What is your personal favorite artwork of the series and why?
From an animation perspective I like the Magneto and from an aesthetic perspective I would choose the red Twiggy.
What is creativity for you?
Creativity for me is interesting solutions for interesting problems.
Follow the project on the official Instagram channel @foscarinilamps
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