Enticing the onlooker

The newlight mirror has been years in the making. Every time Matthew has bought and sold a shop or cafe mirror, he has taken a little something from each – the construction of the backboards the quality and foxing of the glass, the method of fixing or the finesse of the frame. After years of consideration and debate with the workshop, we're delighted with the result.

We came across a quote by the late Jim Ede about Kettle's Yard. It inspired the name and the intention of the newlight mirror: "The role of art is to give food for thought, to act as a stimulant, to entice the onlooker to inspect things, people, emotions, from a new point of view."

Dressing rooms, outfitters and studios where these sorts of mirrors stand often invite transformation. In a way, the newlight mirror creates a kind of art out of reality – it provides a frame, a new perspective for the onlooker to see themselves. The scale allows someone to be set in their surroundings, given a context. The clarity and outline it provides encourage even the most reticent to become interested in their own reflection. Mirrors are often seen as objects of vanity, but if we would like to be truly seen by others, maybe we should start by truly seeing ourselves.