Cairn Lights by Maarten De Ceulaer

The Cairn Lights are inspired by the timeless and universal practice of stacking stones to create cairns, derived from the Gaelic word càrn, meaning “stone pile.” Found across cultures and landscapes throughout history, cairns have served as markers of direction, memory and spirituality — used to guide travelers, commemorate people or events, or signify sacred places.

Maarten De Ceulaer encountered these stone structures during travels in many different parts of the world, from Iceland to Nepal. But it was after a journey through the Spanish Pyrenees that the idea emerged to reinterpret them as sculptural light objects. Sitting by a mountain river surrounded by graniteboulders, he began instinctively stacking stones —responding intuitively to balance, weight and form, as millions of people havedone before him since the beginning of mankind. The simple gesture became the starting point for a new body of work.

To realize the project, Maarten first enrolled in a stone sculpture class to learn the basics of stone carving, gradually developing his craft through experimentation and practice. Rather than designing each lamp in advance, the process begins with the discovery of stones whose shapes, colours and textures suggest a compelling relationship. Through intuitive compositions, each piece slowly takes form. The stones themselves guide the process, introducing an element of chance and requiring a continuous dialogue between maker and material.

Each Cairn Light appears to consist of stones balanced naturally on top of one another, yet every element is precisely carved so that one stone functions as the base while another conceals the light source. Every piece possesses its own distinct presence and personality — some calm and grounded, others more precarious or animated. Certain forms evoke creatures or distant landscapes, giving the objects an almost mythical quality.

The Cairn Lights reflect the interplay between humanity and nature. By reimagining these ancient constructs as contemporary light objects, the pieces pay homage to their heritage while inviting new interpretations in modern living spaces. They become a bridge between past and present, and stand as symbolic and spiritual beacons.

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