ANE LYKKE

Ane Lykke’s work explores the poetic possibilities of light. Stripped of all superfluous ornamentation, her minimalist sculptures further her investigation into the materiality of light and how it engages with spatial interventions, the core foundation of the artist’s practice.

A background in textiles as well as design plays a part in Ane Lykke’s fascination with texture and the possibilities inherent in materiality itself. Her works address how three-dimensionality emerges and shapes our perception of space and depth, and how light and its effects can engage us and create an extraordinary experience.

Having lived and worked in Japan as a young designer, Lykke draws inspiration from traditional Japanese craftsmanship, and has made numerous research trips throughs the years. Her current works take their titles directly from the Japanese words Akari, Shiroi, and Hannu, meaning light, white, and reflection. The intricately constructed cypress wood grids are handmade in Japan using the ancient woodworking technique of Kumiko, wherein thin strips of wood are deftly carved, slotted, and fitted to create a three-dimensional grid without the use of nails. Lykke then integrates bands of LED into the wooden frames.

In Lykke’s words, these objects are “a fusion between traditional Japanese craftsmanship and a new Nordic perspective. The three-dimensional grid and three parallel layers play with different states — light, shadow, and depth. The interaction between these creates different modes of shadow, depth, and reflection. The object combines the intangible, in this case light, with elements and forms that generate an ever-changing experience depending on the viewer’s position in relation to the object. The purpose is to invite the viewer into a ‘dialogue’, as a co-creator.”

Ane Lykke currently lives and works in Copenhagen. She graduated in 1996 from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Design with degrees in textile and design. Lykke has exhibited internationally and completed multiple site specific works and large installations for public spaces. She is the recipient of numerous awards, honors, and grants, including last year’s Inga and Eyvind Kold-Christensen Prize. A Kumiko Light Object was specially commissioned for the Design Museum Denmark in honor of its grand reopening last summer.