GRAU recently lit up the lighting-as-experience scene with Campfire. The new luminaire resembles branches propped together in a teepee shape, their tips aglow with fire.

To some people, Campfire looks more like a collection of giant matchsticks, and we love this interpretation because it relies on a seismic shift in scale.

The sculptural light brings to mind some of my favorite Denver sculptures, including “The Yearling” and “Big Sweep.”

“The Yearling” by Donald Lipski at Denver Public Library’s Central Library and “Big Sweep” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen at the Denver Art Museum

But there’s also something interesting about taking a utilitarian object traditionally used outdoors and bringing it indoors where it doesn’t belong.

This unexpected whimsy puts me in mind of Front’s Horse Lamp, which is a life-sized equine with a lampshade on its head who has most remarkably sauntered into the living room. With Campfire, you’ve taken something so small it belongs in your pocket (inside a small box no less) and Gullivered it to giant dimensions.

Campfire offers the magic of both camps (pun intended). It plays with expectations about size and purpose, transforming rooms into opportunities to wonder and wander. This lighting object by beloved brand GRAU measures approximately 5.2 feet in height.

As a floor lamp (if one dares to be so reductive), it takes up more space than pets, children, and even some romantic partners—yet Campfire might ultimately warm up your soul quite a bit better!

For more cheeky lighting by GRAU, see Salt and Pepper. For more information on Campfire, visit GRAU.