Romanian artist and designer Catrinel Sabaciag is set to captivate audiences with her latest collection of light sculptures, where form, material, and illumination converge to create mesmerizing visual experiences. Blurring the boundaries between functional design and contemplative art, Sabaciag’s work challenges perceptions of light, color, and materiality. Her upcoming showcase at Index Dubai will feature new pieces, including the In Bloom pendant lamp, the final iteration of the Morfoza series, and the desert-inspired Zenit lamp, alongside a preview of her Murmur installation—a dynamic exploration of movement and reflection.
At the core of Sabaciag’s practice is a fascination with light as a transformative medium. The Morfoza wall-mounted sculpture, a culmination of seven years of research, exemplifies this philosophy. Crafted from aluminum and inox, the piece layers transparent plastics, foils, and crystals between optical filters, revealing a hidden spectrum of colors through refraction and interference—all without the use of colored light. The viewer’s interaction becomes part of the experience; rotating the central frame alters the intensity and hue, making each encounter unique. This interplay between object and observer earned Morfoza the 2024 LIT Design Award and the 2023 Transylvanian Design Award, cementing Sabaciag’s reputation for innovative craftsmanship.
Debuting at Index Dubai, the In Bloom pendant lamp extends Sabaciag’s Onda collection, fusing organic inspiration with optical experimentation. Mimicking the delicate unfurling of a flower, the lamp features a central light source nestled between dichroic glass disks, casting shifting chromatic patterns upward while providing functional illumination downward. The result is a piece that oscillates between sculptural artistry and practical design, embodying Sabaciag’s ability to balance atmosphere with precision.
For her first exhibition in the Middle East, Sabaciag drew from the region’s natural beauty to create Zenit, a lamp that channels the warmth of desert sunsets. Departing from synthetic materials, Zenit incorporates onyx, brass, fused glass, and a rare Transylvanian crystal, arranged to evoke the gradient hues of Arabian dunes. The design offers dual lighting modes—focused or ambient—reinventing the lamp as both a functional object and an evocative art piece.
Complementing these works is Murmur, an immersive installation inspired by the fluid motion of bird flocks. Composed of dichroic elements, the piece reacts to its environment, casting ever-changing reflections that mimic natural phenomena. Designed for architectural integration, Murmur exemplifies Sabaciag’s ability to transform spaces into living, interactive art.
Sabaciag’s multidisciplinary approach—rooted in material experimentation and perceptual play—has earned her recognition at Milano Design Week, Dutch Design Week, and Maison Objet Paris. With awards including the Silhouette Awards 2024 and shortlistings for the Design Wanted Awards 2023, her work continues to redefine the dialogue between light, form, and human interaction.
Visitors can experience Sabaciag’s transformative light sculptures at Index Dubai, World Trade Center, Stand 2D90, from May 27 to 29, 2025. Each piece invites a moment of pause, proving that even the most unassuming materials can reveal extraordinary beauty when touched by light.