{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1227588"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1227588/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1867/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1867/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU1867","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Gary Knox Bennett","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1227588/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1227588","accessionNumber":"M.214:1 to 3-2011","objectType":"Oil lamp","titles":[{"title":"Unbelievably Modern Lamp","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Brass oil lamp with conical base, partly painted in red, yellow and blue, partly gilded, with glass eye.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bennett, Garry Knox","id":"A40073"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass and glass\r\nThe glass was analysed by XRF in Autumn 2025 and it was found that the eye is made up of several layers. The orange layer is made of resin, likely an epoxy resin with added pigments. The white shell is made of potash glass, the section on top of the iris and the pupil is also made of glass with additional elements. The translucent surface layer is made of an organic polymeric material that was pigmented. ","categories":[{"text":"Lighting","id":"THES48925"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[{"text":"Post-Modernism","id":"AAT22208"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2011EU1867"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES399658"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES399658"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES412591"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES399658"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil lamp","id":"AAT37630"}],[{"text":"wick holder","id":""}],[{"text":"funnel","id":"AAT200490"}],[{"text":"fragments","id":"AAT117130"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Oakland","id":"x30121"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1978","earliest":"1978-01-01","latest":"1978-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Aaron Bennett","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"42.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"25.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"15.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This lamp represents the shift from West Coast pop and funk design to postmodern style. Garry Knox Bennett became the most prominent American studio furniture maker in the 1980s, but in 1978 when this lamp was made, he was still finding his signature style. He had begun to make simple cartoonish furniture in a pop mode and had also produced a large series of clocks, jewellery and lamps, exploiting his broad skill base in woodwork and metalwork. The 'ad hoc' method of composition that he used in many of these pieces is evident in the 'Unbelievably Modern' lamp but it also marks a departure towards a more acerbic, hard edged style. With its cheeky title, bold primary colour palette, and prominent use of a found object (a taxidermy glass eye), this lamp might be said to be Bennett's first overtly postmodernist work.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oil lamp, 'Unbelievably Modern Lamp', brass, partly painted and gilded, glass eye, designed and made by Gary Knox Bennett, USA, 1978.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"ed. Glenn Adamson and Jane Pavitt, <u>Postmodernism Style and Subversion, 1970-1990</u>, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2011","id":"AUTH316451"},"details":"p.114. pl.126","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.214:1-2011","M.214:2-2011","M.214:3-2011","M.214:4-2011"],"accessionNumberNum":"214","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":2011,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Oil lamp body","Wick holder","Funnel"],"assets":["2026PN9236"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-13","recordCreationDate":"2011-07-21","availableToBook":false}}