Guns Collection - Bedside Table Lamp

By Philippe Starck, 2005
Twenty percent of the Gun Collection sales will be donated to Frères des Hommes, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing poverty. This sleek and edgy table lamp is part of the artist's Guns Collection, making a statement while doing good. "Design is my weapon," says Starck, who donates 20% of the collection's sales to Frères des Hommes, a charitable organization dedicated to abolishing poverty around the world. The body of the Guns Bedside is made from die-cast aluminum and features an overmolded polymer coating. It is available in two color combinations: polished 18K gold with a black matte shade silkscreened in gold on the inside, or a chrome finish with a white shade, silkscreened in silver on the inside. The shade is made from plasticized paper, and the lamp provides direct reading and ambient lighting. Inspiration behind the design: "Why doesn't furniture show that everything is a political choice?" asks designer Philippe Starck. Inspired to do just that, Starck created the Guns Collection to make a powerful statement. "The gold of the weapons represents the collusion between money and war. The Table Gun symbolizes the East, the Bed Side Gun symbolizes Europe, and the Lounge Gun represents the West. The black shade signifies death, and the crosses on the inside are to remind us of those who have passed."