Life Imitates Art: A Striking Chandelier Reflects a Haunting Canvas by Ross Bleckner
Discover how life imitates art in unexpected moments of visual synchronicity
A haunting canvas by famed New York artist Ross Bleckner, <i>Untitled (Chandelier Painting) </i>(1984), which sold at Phillips in 2018, marks a bold departure from the cosmic, semiabstract paintings that define much of his oeuvre. Suspended within a black background, the glowing light fixture is said to represent themes of loss and dislocation.
The Killarney chandelier by Visual Comfort—made in collaboration with the storied Irish crystal house Waterford—reflects a bold, modern interpretation of the tiered, crystal lighting commissioned by the Guinness family in 1965 for the 900th anniversary of the founding of Westminster Abbey.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Spring Issue in the section “Life Imitates Art.” Subscribe to the magazine.