A Sideways Task Lamp

What do you get when you ask a group of art students to reinterpret the task lamp? Light takes an unexpected angle.

No, this architect's lamp wasn't subjected to extreme temperatures, this crazy-looking light is actually a limited-edition work titled No Angle, No Poise by Tiago da Fonseca. Fonseca's lamp was one of many designed as part of a competition hosted by Artemide, an Italian lighting company. Artemide challenged a group of students at the Royal College of Art in London to reinterpret Artemide's classic Anglepoise lamp, which was the first spring-balance task light.

Fonseca's spin on the classic 1932 design was made from silicone instead of usual metal. Describing his seemingly-melted design Fonseca said, "'No Angle, No Poise' is my offering to the magnificent icon, of a well deserved respite from its vigilant stance by splaying a rubber version, like melting objects in a Dali painting. Most Anglepoise lamps end up in the same position for months, we barely touch them, adopting awkward postures as soon as springs give in. I thought I could give it a rest from its stiff vigilance and capture those moments of unattended beauty."

After selecting Fonseca's piece, Artemide worked with him to bring the lamp into production. With a limited series of 99 lamps, No Angle, No Poise carries a hefty price tag of $2,400 -- a hefty fee for a lamp, but a relatively modest sum for a work of art. You decide.

No Angle, No Poise lamp (available in red, green and blue), $2,400, Moss