Ayala Serfaty is a contemporary artist and designer who marches to the beat of her own drum. Endeavoring to blur the line between practical furnishings and sculptural focal points, her armchairs, table lamps and wall lights are as dazzling in appearance as they are functional.
Ayala Serfaty was born in 1962 in Tel Aviv. She studied fine arts at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem before moving to London, where she attended Middlesex University. After graduation, she moved back to and chose to settle in Tel Aviv. She continued painting, sculpting and studying fine art until the 1990s when she also began designing furniture.
Ayala Serfaty told the Wall Street Journal that inspiration struck in 1996 while on a snorkeling vacation at the Red Sea. Upon returning to Tel Aviv, she established Aqua Creations Lighting and Furniture Atelier and took on the designer and creative director role. Today, she is also regularly collaborating with Maison Gerard in New York City.
Serfaty's unique and handcrafted approach to furniture design and production means that each piece is entirely one of a kind. Every sculptural creation draws from an eclectic well of ancient traditions and modern design sensibilities. It can take up to six months from concept to completion.
Serfaty is perhaps best known for her SOMA lighting collection. The ethereal lamps are made from woven glass, giving them the look of organically grown crystals in underwater caves. They have a fantastically tactile appeal, which is an attribute of many of her designs.
She has exhibited at the London Design Museum, the Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art in Israel, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. Her furniture has also been shown by Maison Gerard at the 2016 Winter Antiques Show and the 2021 Salon Art + Design. Her work is held in the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
On 1stDibs, find Ayala Serfaty seating, lighting, decorative objects and more.
Vintage Red-Orange Silk Morning Glory Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, 1990s
By Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty
Located in Florence, IT
Vintage Red Silk Morning Glory Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, designed by Ayala Serfaty. This floor lamp features a red-orange pleated silk fa...
Metal
Felt "Apaya Ponyo" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
Exemplifying Aqua Creations' warm and organic style, the statuesque Apaya floor lamp rises to a height of 180 cm/ 70.9” and is made from hand-crafted Me...
Felt
Silk over Metal "Dippa" Pendant Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
The Dippa pendant lamp is a classic, orb-shaped pendant light made of hand pleated silk on metal, suspended from a ceiling plate. They can be install...
Steel
Morning Glory Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1990s. This floor lamp features pleated silk fabric stretched over a metal frame, equipped with two internal lights and a petal-shaped torchiere top. This piece has been rewir...
Metal
Floor Lamp by Prandina, Italy, 1990s
By Prandina
Located in Brussel, BE
Very tall floor lamp composed of a black-painted metal base, a same-material leg made of four rods, and, above, a deep-blue frosted glass base with a large white opaline bowl lampsha...
Metal
Sun Floor Lamp by Fornasetti, Italy, 1990s
By Fornasetti
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Floor lamp sun face in soft stamped plastic by Fornasetti for the editor Antonangeli Illuminazione.
Plastic
$4,312 / item
H 49.61 in Dm 13.78 in
Origami Paper and Mahogany "96 Molecules" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
A free standing floor lamp made of CNC-milled mahogany wood and a hand-folded origami paper lampshade. Comes with touch on-off and dimming.
Mahogany, Paper
Silk over Metal "Morning Glory" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
Aqua creations design atelier was founded by photographer Albi Serfaty and artist Ayala Serfaty in 1992. Taking its name from the sea, where all life started, the atelier unique sculptural lights are inspired by the organic shapes and forms...
Steel
Silk over Metal "Liana S." Pendant Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
The liana S pendant light is the perfect addition to a dining room or kitchen. Part of the Orchestra Family, its concave form is inspired by natural shapes fou...
Metal
Felt "Apaya Tinka" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
The Apaya Tinka floor lamp exemplifies Aqua Creations’ passion for textile research, and combines traditional felting techniques with modern lighting te...
Felt
Silk over Metal "Horn" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
Elegant, freestanding floor lamp, handmade of crushed silk and metal.
Steel
Silk over Metal "Doe" Table Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
A petit plug-and-play table lamp, hand made from crushed silk and metal.
Cut Steel
Silk over Metal "Sikus" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
This Sikus floor lamp is a part of the Orchestra Collection. The Orchestra family of lamps strike a chord with its organic, sculptural forms and take their inspiration from natural musical forms, as well as modern sculpture and architecture. Sikus is a handmade floor lamp...
Steel
Silk over Metal "Horn" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty, 2003
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Silk over Metal "Horn" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty, 2003 Organic and sculptural, in Rust-colored silk with complementary piping to top edge, this two-bulb floor lamp...
Metal
Sold
H 83 in Dm 41 in
Silk over Metal "Morning Glory" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty 2003
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Silk over Metal "Morning Glory" Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty 2003 Handmade Creme-colored silk over white metal frame, two-bulb tall floor lamp made in Israel c. early ...
Metal
Sold
H 38 in W 38 in D 38 in
Ayala Serfaty Signed Silk Pleated Palms 3 Sansa Chandelier by Aqua Creations
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in West Hartford, CT
This signed Aqua Creations chandelier by Ayala Serfaty plays with movement and grace and features three lampshades made of silk and highly stylized curvilinear branches made from har...
Metal
Sold
H 13 in W 16.5 in D 6.5 in
Set of Four Matching Ayala Serfaty Zika Wall Sconces for Aqua Creations Lights
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Rare Zika wall sconces designed by renowned Israeli designer Ayala Serfaty for Aqua Creations. Set of four we have available this week on 1stDibs ...
Metal
Sold
H 38 in W 38 in D 38 in
Ayala Serfaty Signed Silk Pleated Palms 3 Sansa Chandelier by Aqua Creations
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Taking inspiration directly from nature, this Palms 3 lite Sansa chandelier by Ayala Serfaty plays with movement and grace. It features three orb shaped lampshades made of silk and h...
Metal
Sold
H 13 in W 16.5 in D 6.3 in
Set of Three Matching Ayala Serfaty Aqua Creations Zika Wall Sconces Wall Lights
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Rare set of three matching Zika wall sconces designed by renowned Israeli designer Ayala Serfaty for Aqua Creations. We have four available this week...
Metal
Pair of Ayala Serfaty Aqua Creations Zika Wall Sconces Wall Lights
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Rare pair of Zika wall sconces designed by renowned Israeli designer Ayala Serfaty for Aqua Creations. We have four available this week on 1stDibs ...
Metal
Ayala Serfaty Aqua Creations Zika Silk Wall Sconce Light
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Rare Zika wall sconce designed by renowned Israeli designer Ayala Serfaty for Aqua Creations. Made of silk organza fabric and metal. The dimensions are below. Specs are: - bulb is 1...
Metal
Sold
H 13 in W 16.5 in D 6.5 in
Set of Four Matching Ayala Serfaty Zika Wall Sconces for Aqua Creations Lights
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Rare Zika wall sconces designed by renowned Israeli designer Ayala Serfaty for Aqua Creations. Set of four we have available this week on 1stDibs e...
Metal
Sold
H 38 in W 38 in D 38 in
Ayala Serfaty Signed Silk Pleated Palms 3 Sansa Chandelier by Aqua Creations
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
Located in West Hartford, CT
Taking inspiration directly from nature, this Palms 3 lite Sansa chandelier by Ayala Serfaty plays with movement and grace. It features three orb shaped lampshades made of silk and h...
Metal
'Stand By' Ceiling Light by Ayala Serfaty
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in London, GB
A large round, red, hand dyed and lacquered silk ceiling light suspended by steel wire. The light is comprised of two moulded halves. There is minor...
Silk