Yukiko Morita upcycles bread into creative lighting by partnering with bakeries and using day old baked goods for her collection. The artist first had the idea to create bread lights from real bread way back in 2007 when she was a student in the printmaking department at Kyoto City University of the Arts. In 2016, her “Pampshade” branded bread lamps were exhibited at “Maison et Objet” in France and sold to private clients. She soon expanded overseas, introduced a clock made of Naan, and in 2021 established the Panthem Co., Ltd.
Yukiko Morita Bread Lights
The bread lights come in several battery-powered LED models as well as A/C plug-in models. Pampshade purchases unsold bread from partner bakeries and uses them to create limited editions that sell out so quickly, Yukiko Morita can hardly keep her fusion of flour, water, salt yeast and imagination in stock!
The Pampshade Yukiko Morita bread lights are rolls, slices, batards, boules, baguettes and loaves illuminated from within. Preserved with a clear resin, the Japanese artist’s wall and table lamps are warm, crusty and inviting. They make great decorative centerpieces and kitchen art.
Glowing in various recognizable forms, the bread has been carefully hollowed out out during the manufacturing process, resulting in some minor cracks or small holes that further add to the lamp’s rustic, artisanal character. It’s then preserved with an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal coating to ensure they do not get any moisture or mold.
“As a student working part-time at a bakery, I couldn’t stand the sight of unsold bread being thrown away at the end of the day. I would take it in my arms and carry it home, eating it myself, decorating my room with it like flowers, giving it to friends. This modest attempt at daily resistance changed when one evening I saw the light from the western sun illuminating a piece of bread whose white contents I had hollowed out and eaten. For a brief, inexpressible moment, it glowed beautifully within the darkened room. This was the foundation for my work through Pampshade, and the point at which, as a creative, I knew what I wanted to do.”- Yukiko Morita
As you might suspect, these are very fragile and delicate and it’s best to treat them like you would delicate glassware.
It’s suggested not to use them in the bathroom or outside as direct contact with water may damage their electrical components.
Pampshades are powered either with batteries or by plugging into the wall. For smaller lamps, use standard AA batteries (not included with your order). For larger lamps, select the plug type on the product page before adding the Pampshade to your shopping cart.
Currently they offer the following plug types (100–220v):
Plug Type A: United States and Japan
Plug Type C: Europe
Plug Type BF: United Kingdom
About the artist:
A graduate from the printmaking department at Kyoto City University of Arts, Morita’s love of bread grew out of her experience working at a bakery as a student. The idea for what eventually became Pampshade came to her over the course of her daily encounters with bread. She continued to refine her work even after graduation and began presenting her products at craft markets. In 2016 she opened a workshop in her hometown of Kobe and turned Pampshade into an official brand. Her work is currently distributed across Japan as well as approximately 15 countries throughout North America, Europe, China, and Hong Kong.
Shop for the bread lamps by Yukiko Morita here
Follow the artist on Instagram @pampshade_by_yukikomorita
