The recently published book Eastern Lights presents iconic lamp collections and their Hungarian and Czechoslovakian designers from the second half of the 20th century—shedding light on works by Tamás Borsfay, Sándor Borz Kováts, Helena Frantová, Tibor Házi, Sándor Heller, Josef Hůrka, Stanislav Indra, Tibor Nádai, Ján Šuchaň, and the Opteam group, as well as bringing attention to trends that have faded into obscurity.

The studies featured in the book are authored by researchers who have long been dedicated to exploring Hungarian design history. Among them are the creators of the Object Fetish series published on Hype and Hyper: Kitti Mayer and Piroska Novák, who were joined by Lilla Gollob, Eszter Szőnyeg-Szegvári, Réka Vikárius, and Noémi Viski, along with Maroš Schmidt and Eva Slunečkova.

Why has lamp design come into focus now? What catalyzed this much-needed research and the publication of studies?

The object culture of the second half of the 20th century is experiencing a renaissance. Everywhere around us, lamps from the '60s, '70s, and '80s are reappearing, but unfortunately, the introduction of the designers seems to be secondary, as it was back then. I believe that “getting close to an object” by knowing its history can be as rewarding as owning the object itself. In September, during Paris Design Week, the exhibition Lumières de l'Est (Eastern Lights) showcased lamps by Hungarian and Czechoslovakian designers organized by the Initio Arts & Design gallery. The book Eastern Lights, edited and published by the gallery, includes our research and findings closely related to the lamps presented at the exhibition.

When and through what processes was industrial design institutionalized in Hungary?

Due to an institutional reform initiated by the National Technical Development Committee (Országos Műszaki Fejlesztési Bizottság - OMFB), the Applied Arts Council (Iparművészeti Tanács) was dissolved in 1975, and new organizations were established. The newly formed Industrial Design Council (Ipari Formatervezési Tanács) operated under the OMFB, and the Industrial Design Information Center, better known as the Design Center, started operating as part of the Propaganda Department of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce.

What tasks did the two organizations conduct?

The Industrial Design Council dealt with theoretical issues, such as methodological, ergonomic, educational, and economic aspects of the field, and it also decided on the Design Quality Award. The Design Center, in addition to organizing exhibitions, supported the development and popularization of design. They published a professional journal titled Ipari Forma (Industrial Shape) starting in 1976. They established their own archive, including a designer database, on which services like designer promotion and representation were based, modeled after examples from London and Paris.

What happened to the archive? Did it survive the regime change, or was it destroyed like the records of the Applied Arts Company (Iparművészeti Vállalat)?

Both organizations survived the regime change, although they underwent name changes, and their functions naturally changed as well. The Design Center continued operating in the early '90s as Design Center Ltd. Their archive was transferred to the Central European Art History Research Institute (KEMKI). The records of the Industrial Design Council were recently accepted by the data archive of the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest.

Were these archives the most important sources in processing the topic?

The designers we researched began their careers before these organizations were established, so in the available archives, we found information only about certain phases of their work, with much less on the beginnings of their careers. This shows that, before the institutional reform, no ministry gave significant attention to designers working in industry, and if they did, it was not the relevant ministries. Initially, the field was overseen by the Ministry of Culture (later the Ministry of Culture and Public Education), not by economic ministries. In our experience, often the best results come from connecting and collaborating with the heirs of designers or those who had professional relationships with them, and who, if fortunate, preserved documents valuable for research. Although the records of the Applied Arts Company have not surfaced, the legacy of photographer József Milos, who documented the company’s products for decades, has been preserved and is available for research in KEMKI’s collection. This rich collection of photographs includes product photos of lamps and images from lamp exhibitions, several of which were featured in the book Eastern Lights.

What can the remaining documents suggest about how designers and interior architects became lamp designers at all?

Lamp designers all had unique paths. While interior architects and furniture designers had a clear task—arranging a standardized living space as practically as possible—the aim and even the initial problem for lamp designers were not as straightforward. Lighting was not considered a fundamental aspect of designing new living spaces. The College of Applied Arts did not prepare any future lamp designers to address lighting-related issues. Initially, the need for dedicated lamp designers was not recognized, as lighting was merely a neglected segment of interior architecture, form design, and object design.

What kinds of lamps could be purchased in stores? How did designer pieces enter the market?

The lamps available in stores were either unique, artisanal products or mass-produced items from various lamp factories. The latter were generally not designed by professional designers but by industrial engineers, often based on foreign models. Lamps constructed by engineers are not considered designer pieces today. We found many examples of designer lamps appearing in the stores of the Applied Arts Company. Still, these came not from factories but from the workshops of small artisans—after being approved by a jury—before eventually reaching homes. The Design Center proved groundbreaking in trying to implement designers' perspectives within the industry and, simultaneously, aimed to educate consumers, helping them learn who designed the products they purchased.

Who were the designers who could be considered widely known?

Perhaps the most recognizable was Tamás Borsfay's Four-lamella Floor Lamp. It’s interesting to see where and in what context his collections appeared. One of the exciting discoveries in the research was that in Hungary's first Oscar-winning film, Mephisto by István Szabó, released in 1981, a Borsfay armchair and table appear in the main character's room. Additionally, a Borsfay lamp was featured until the 55th episode in the popular Hungarian TV series Neighbours (Szomszédok), where the characters eventually decide to part with it. Beyond his interior design work, Borsfay designed multiple lamps and metal-framed furniture pieces for the Applied Arts Company between 1971 and 1990 and was active as a member of the Velem Studio from 1983 onward.

Sándor Borz Kováts' Vargánya (Mushroom/Porcini) lamp series was also well-known, appearing in several public buildings, such as the Olimpia Hotel and the headquarters of the Ministry of Construction. From the late 1960s, Borz Kováts collaborated with Mihály Pohárnok to advance Hungarian design. Their first major, impactful project was an exhibition titled Hungarian Design (10 Experiments) at the Fészek Arts Club, a pivotal event for legitimizing Hungarian design. After the 10 Experiments, they began planning the Kitchen Program for Prefabricated Houses. However, Borz Kováts’ untimely death meant he couldn’t see the successful results of their intervention efforts come to fruition.

After high school, Sándor Heller worked with his father manufacturing dental instruments, later becoming the director of the Dental Technology Company. Relatively late in life, while working and raising a family, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Budapest University of Technology. He then began crafting lamps as an artisan. His experience is evident in his lamp designs, which are functional and practical. His first piece was a desk lamp made specifically for his children, highlighting that his interest in design was driven by user’s needs.

Who were the members of the Opteam design group, and what was their program?

The Opteam design group consisted of János Bánáti, Attila Bárkányi, György Soltész, György Radnóti, and the sole female designer, Erika Kovács. This group of designers and interior architects aimed to create a unified lamp series based on the concept of systematic design. Their goal was to develop a family of lamps—floor lamps, table lamps, etc.—that could economically be produced while consistently fulfilling specific functional needs. In addition to the product itself, Opteam focused on designing the perfect packaging, which featured a handle and a "peek-through" section that allowed a glimpse of the lamp inside while emphasizing the unique character of the packaging. This attention to detail significantly enhanced the overall customer experience in their case.

Did the designers have connections with each other?

Intellectually, certainly, their design thinking and methodology showed a close kinship. Many of the lamps were the product of a systematic design approach, meaning that most designers thought in terms of lamp families. This approach, originating from the United States, emphasized a scientific foundation in the design process, moving away from the earlier focus on the aesthetic quality of individual objects, or "styling." By adopting systematic design principles, designers created complex systems rather than single products. This approach enabled practical, cost-effective production that could, in theory, meet the needs of the masses with quality design items.

How did this work in practice in Hungary?

Since the necessary components were not commercially available in Hungary, designers were forced to create or at least design every small detail themselves, from screws to lampshades. These efforts, as noted in contemporary articles and studies, can indeed be called innovation. However, it's essential to remember that designers primarily aimed to counter the persistent shortages, hoping to create genuinely "good" design products for a more livable environment. Working closely with the artisans who contributed to production, they encountered similar obstacles, which transformed these artisans into near co-creators in the process. This made the already time-consuming manufacturing process even slower, further challenging Hungarian designers' ability to keep pace with their Western counterparts. Large state commissions and prestigious interior design projects often inspired designers. These projects underscored that lighting was a fundamental need that deserved—and required—professional solutions.

What similarities and differences can be observed when comparing the circumstances of Hungarian and Czechoslovakian designers?

A fundamental difference is that in Czechoslovakia, the designs created by industry-employed designers were produced in large series. Among the Hungarian designers we studied, only Sándor Borz Kováts and Tibor Házi had active relationships with factories. Borz Kováts collaborated with factories for his furniture designs, while Házi needed factories to produce large-diameter, spherical glass shades for his lamps. Házi’s lamp shades were blown and colored in glass factories, whereas Borz Kováts’ objects merely met industrial standards; artisans still manufactured most parts. 

As for similarities, both Hungarian and Czechoslovakian designers were heavily influenced by Scandinavian design. At times, they created near-replicas of lamps they had only seen in magazines or photos. For instance, Tibor Nádai’s "Daru" lamp was directly inspired by a design he encountered in a foreign magazine. Despite the resemblance, these were unique products because inspiration was just the first step; the designers had to work out the technical details independently, as they could not access the original design processes.

Is the Eastern Lights publication currently only available in English? Will there be a Hungarian edition of the study volume?

A decision has not yet been made on this, but we hope a Hungarian version will also be published. It would also be worthwhile to showcase parallels with Polish and East German designers, and there are still Hungarian designers whose work is important to explore, such as Iraklisz Kosztandinidis, who is of Greek descent.

Eastern Lights – Czechoslovakian and Hungarian Lamp Designers, 1950s-1980s
Publisher: Initio Arts & Design, Paris | Budapest
Edited by: Bálint Ferenczy & Marie Tourre de Robien
Authors: Lilla Gollob, Kitti Mayer, Piroska Novák, Maroš Schmidt, Eva Slunečková, Eszter Szőnyeg-Szegvári, Réka Vikárius, Noémi Viski
Photos: Morgane de Schaetzen
Book Design: Benedek Regős