ILLUMINATI
Around 2011, Joe Pansa began creating a series of handmade lamps by assembling everyday objects and discarded materials such as colanders, bowls, basins, and funnels. By combining and transforming these objects, he created a series of small anthropomorphic figures, each with its own character and expression.
The faces were constructed entirely from found and readily available materials. Pieces of fabric were used to create noses and eyebrows, while the eyes were usually made from fabric or large buttons. Other elements, such as children’s pacifiers, could become part of the figures, depending on the materials available. These simple additions transformed ordinary domestic objects into recognizable, playful characters.
Each Illuminato was unique and developed intuitively through the process of finding, combining, and modifying objects. The lamps brought together light, sculpture, assemblage, and the reuse of everyday materials, turning discarded or functional objects into imaginative figures with a distinct physical presence.
