Menorah

Made of tempered glass and black Zimbabwean granite, this Menorah stands out for the minimalist character. Two solid planes inclined at four degrees to each other form the structure of the work.
The satin finish of the stone is the result of a polishing action obtained by rubbing diamond plates of different grains.

The result is a matte, slightly structured, leather-like finish. This surface treatment chosen by Philippe Fares creates a contrast with the perfectly smooth aspect of the glass. In this work, glass is the symbol of fragility, finesse, and transparency.

The molecular structure of the glass makes it possible to consider it as a liquid of infinite viscosity. For safety reasons and in order to improve its resistance, the glass has been thermally tempered. It is therefore transparent to visible light for humans, but opaque to certain types of radiation.

The power supply wiring of the seven bulbs is masked by two lateral strips of frosted glass. By using materials of similar hardness and density, Philippe Fares wished to express the resilience of the Jewish people through the ages.

According to Zechariah, the seven lamps are the eyes of God that watch over the entire Earth. In the eleventh century, a Y-shaped variant was designed by Rabbi Maimonides; the six side branches were then diagonal straight lines and not curved curves as is customary today.

Here the artist reinterprets a formal tradition without removing its spiritual symbolism. By the same token, the transparency of the glass gives free rein to the imagination.