The burning question on everyone's lips this morning?-What does $2,549.88 buy these days? Given this economy, the answer from most is bound to be "not as much as it should," but to me it seems a pretty square sum for high-concept floor lighting by G. Scarselli and Archirivolto for Alt Lucialternative. The manufacturer of high-end Italian lighting is part of the FDV Group, a connoisseur's consortium that bundles the talents of big brands like Murano Due, Luxit, and Leucos. No wonder they can keep prices so very, very low. As Bill Maher likes to say, "I kid FDV Group and Alt Lucialternative…" I don't kid, however, about the allure of the Afrah Floor Lamp-a sexy stand alone centerpiece that riffs on feminine wiles.

Afrah. Designed by G. Scarselli and Archirivolto for Alt Lucialternative.

Sculpted Aluminum and Bi-Directional Lighting

The piece's clear reference to shapely curves actually reminds me of the infamous "Leg Lamp" from the holiday classic, A Christmas Story, though Afrah is rather far removed from that piece of pin-up kitsch. The lamp has an expressionistic aspect, its sensuality emerging from the interplay between its curvaceous silhouette and its deft manipulations of light and shadow. Said silhouette is sculpted by Archirivoloto, Scarselli, et. al. from a single sheet of shiny aluminum, behind which are hidden your choice of halogen or incandescent bulbs.

Like Monday's City H46 Suspension Lamp, Afrah plays with motifs of reflectivity. The aluminum full-body diffuser interacts with emitted light (from both the top and bottom of the lamp) to alternately bounce light about the room and obscure it entirely. Contrary to the high visibility of the highly-linear City, however, Afrah is all curves and accordant mystery. Suggestive of African statuary and the iconic symbology of the female form, Afrah exudes an aura of archetypal sex appeal.