Morning Star – Lamps made by Frank Noordman

Frank Noordman (‘s Hertogenbosch, 1958) lives in the middle of Amsterdam’s red light district for over 40 years. He once studied social geography in Nijmegen for two years, but besides that he is ‘self thaught in everything he has done’. And that’s a lot, he organized punk concerts at a cultural youth center (Doornroosje) in Nijmegen, was agent for music groups for over 20 years and active for the radio.

25 years ago he worked as a technician at the Burcht van Berlage in the Henri Polaklaan (the former Trade Union Museum). In the hall of this building he saw a lamp desgined by Jan Eisenloeffel (1876 – 1957) that prompted Frank to throw out all his Ikea lamps to start making lamps himself.

Sources of inspiration include styles from the 1920s and 1930s such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Tiffany, Bauhaus and Italian designers such as the early work of Ettore Sottsass (1907 – 2007). But also the Amsterdam Jordaan area and red light district with its fringes, porcelain and kitschy lampshades. The different style influences and materials make his work eclectic and original.

Frank is socially involved, he strives for the smallest possible footprint and basically only uses existing materials and items that he disassembles and gives a new life in a different form. The corona time was a gold mine for him, everyone was going to renovate their home or business and Frank found the most beautiful treasures in the bulky waste and in waste containers. The title of the exhibition ‘Morning Star’ refers to this: a person who searches for useful items in the bulky waste.

Frank gets a lot of satisfaction from his artistry: ‘I surround myself with the things I make and that makes me happy’.

Festive opening exhibition Saturday 17 December 15 – 17 hrs

Photo:  Rinia Lalibel Aliwa