Steel, cane, marble and leather — through materials and elegant compositions, Danish design master Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980) was by nature a purist, and his work represents some of the most highly sophisticated yet minimal designs to emerge from Denmark at a time when the use of teak was so rampant that his material choices must have seem severe. Kjærholm's perception of light is captured in the low level surfaces of his furniture and the refraction from precisely engineered steel frames. In collaboration with Space of Time Gallery, Relevant Object invited Chinese-British artist Dori Deng to create light installations in response to Kjærholm’s exploration of materiality and light. Geometry of Light is an exhibition that form dialogue between modern design and contemporary art, functionality and concept, interpreting the metaphor of industrialisation, across two generations of creative minds. Situated at the 1926 built Modernism Japanese heritage architecture Kita Residence in Kyoto, this exhibition provides a unique scenery and perspective to provoke the subject of materiality in design & art.

Deng’s ongoing series, Expansion Series, rooted from the research of 1920s Modernist Architecture and the social phenomenon of urbanisation. Her light installations made though adaptation of modern design process, as well as establishing closed relationship with local craftsman. The methodology of the series examines the social impact of cultural shifts and evolving perspectives on craftsmanship and industrial standardisation. Using the nature of material and the production technique to express its form paired with a highly developed awareness of shape and the space in which it occupies. By combining the natural rock, marble, caned details and patinated leather, Kjærholm infused warmth and flexibility into steel which traditionally perceived as hard and cold. His unconventional approach to materiality and craftsmanship established a legacy that continues to influence generations today. The balance between precision and nature in Kjærholm’s design is echoed in Deng’s contemporary artworks, which seek harmony by engineering the organic.

The Element Chair PK25 (c. 1960’s) by Poul Kjærholm on the tatami at the main room of Kita Residence, embraced by the interlocked light installation Expansion Series, Work No. 40 (2024) by Dori Deng. Adapting the geometric principles and processes of modern architecture, the installation multiplies the fundamental cube shape across varied angles and scales. Deng has hand-woven organic sisal around the steel-welded corners, creating a visual rhythm with these weaved edges, modern LED light tubes, and intricate geometries—a tribute to Kjærholm’s masterpiece with artisan caning around an industrially produced single-piece steel frame.

In a corner of the Kita Residence, soft daylight spreads across the low granite surface of Kjærholm’s PK61 table. The asymmetrical steel legs harmoniously counterbalance the tactile granite slab. Echoing this setting is Deng’s triangular light sculpture, Expansion Series, Work No. 41 (2024): a luminous square rod, delicately form a triangle by a stretched thin metal wire, balanced by a small garden rock. Both the iconic chair and the contemporary sculpture express harmony through their balanced use of geometry and weight.

Throughout the rooms at Kita Residence, small format drawings on Chinese Xuan paper (宣纸) quietly narrate the geometric thinking behind Deng’s art making process. Using traditional Eastern paper and mounting techniques to portray modern three-dimensional perspectives, these works are contemporary and timeless.

History is cyclical — from the Modernist pursuit of engineered excellence a century ago to today's revaluation on individual craftsmanship, our understanding of material, function, and aesthetics continues to evolve in cycles — the debate shall be continued with new interpretation.