Matt Gagnon Builds a Cityscape of Skyscraper Lamps at L.A.’s THE NEW

In 2001, Matt Gagnon introduced Acrylic Lamps, a collection of works that mimics the nighttime glow of half-occupied skyscrapers. Inspired by evening strolls through cities, the lights are scaled to the floor plate of the New York Times Building—a proposal Gagnon worked on while cutting his teeth at Gehry Partners. The designer will transform Los Angeles’s THE NEW gallery into a miniature cityscape of floor lamps for “Material Relations,” on view February 8 to April 7.

The exhibition marks the debut of Light Stacks, a series that explores various light temperatures. “I loved seeing the fluorescent fixtures create a subtle change in light between floors,” says Gagnon, who recreates these variations with materials like brass, polished aluminum, white oak, yellow pine, concrete, and painted MDF. A custom LED stick illuminates each of the 13 slender lamps—many limited edition—which range from 18 to 74 inches tall. “The biggest challenge is deciding when a particular light is finished,” he says. “It’s tempting to keep rearranging layers in search of more interesting combinations.”

THE NEW is located at 7466 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles.