A new artful lighting collection from PELLE – Incise Paintings – had a start that was quite serendipitous. Designers Oliver and Jean Pelle had created a monochrome painting to mask an unattractive shaft window in their workspace, then decided to add lightbulbs to make the piece utilitarian. The result is this collection of lighting, a wall sconce that’s also a provocative objet d’art.

To make the seemingly simple project work seamlessly as lighting, immense precision was in order. The frame and canvas had to be made deeper to make room for the wiring structure and wall suspension system, while the incision had to be specifically formed to hide all of the interior components. If you look closely, all the viewer sees is black.

Each Incise Painting features a slashed canvas with pearlescent lightbulbs set within the cavities. Available in a range of colors and sizes, each canvas is floated in a custom oak frame and finished with a painted Pelle signature.