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.
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Nuraya, Handmade Floor Light Sculpture, Israel, 2018
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Adaptation, Handmade Light Sculpture, Israel, 2005
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Ceramic
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Memory III, Table Light Sculpture, Israel, 2016
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Adaptation Handmade Light Sculpture, Israel, 2014
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty b.1962 Morning Glory Silk Floor Lamp
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large-scale sculptural floor lamp in a stylized floral form resembling a sea anemone or morning glory, attributed to Aqua Creations and designed by Ayala Serfaty. Constructed from la...
Metal
Vintage Red-Orange Silk Morning Glory Floor Lamp by Aqua Creations, 1990s
By Ayala Serfaty, Aqua Creations
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
Ayala Serfaty, Once VIII, Sculptural Table Lamp, Israel, 2023
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Vika, Suspended Light Sculpture, Israel, 2019
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Ceramic, Glass
$7,739 / item
H 18.51 in Dm 15.75 in
'Cosmic Solstice Ore' Table Lamp, Handmade Bronze Patinated Brass Table Light
By Eva Menz for Atelier001
Located in London, England
Taking inspiration from planetary shapes and textures, the Cosmic collection artfully explores the interplay of metal properties and a curated selection of patina finishes. Handcra...
Brass
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
Escape Floor Light by Ango, Handcrafted Silk Cocoon Shelter Floor Lamp
By Ango
Located in Bangkok, TH
Escape Floor Light by Ango, Handcrafted Silk Cocoon Shelter Floor lamp Escape floor light with ash wooden base is developed from the series of five Transceiver Spaces of Gwangju Desi...
Organic Material, Wood
Silk over Metal "Suuria" Pendant Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
Urchin shaped suspended light hand made from crushed silk on metal.
Cut Steel
De-Light F1 Double Light Brass Floor Lamp, Flow Collection
By Jonathan Amar
Located in Paris, FR
This bespoke contemporary floor lamp is designed with a reading light positioned mid-length which articulates a conical brass shade so that you can direct the light with ease. Both l...
Marble, Brass
Bronze Table Lamp by Anasthasia Millot, 2016
By Anasthasia Millot
Located in New York, NY
Elegant bronze lamp by Anasthasia Millot. Millot originally studied fashion design in Paris, and her work with fabric has left a lasting -- if indirect -- influence on her objects. A...
Bronze
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
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture Table Lamp BB1 - 30A
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Seattle, WA
A great early-vintage example of Isamu Noguchi's Light Table Lamp BB1-30A. Original packaging for the 30A shade with 30A stamp on the end of the brown paper bag. The bright red Sun ...
Steel
Isamu Noguchi 22N Akari Light Sculpture
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Highland, IN
Noguchi designed a series of lamps starting in the 1950s, this 22N Akari designed in 1968 is a beautiful example of his "light sculptures". Made in Gifu, Japan by Ozeki & Co. using ...
Bamboo, Paper
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
$7,739 / item
H 18.51 in Dm 15.75 in
Solstice Verdigris Table Light Handmade Verdigris Patinated Brass Leather Lamp
By Eva Menz for Atelier001
Located in London, England
Inspired by planetary forms and textures, Atelier001's Cosmic Collection artfully explores the interplay of metal properties with a curated selection of patina finishes. Handcrafted from uniquely patinated brass plates, a finely brushed brass framework, and hand-wrapped leather, the Solstice Verdigris...
Brass
Silk over Metal "Chilli" Pendant Lamp by Aqua Creations
By Aqua Creations
Located in linden, NJ
Suspended from a ceiling plate, Chilli can be installed as a solo signature feature, or hung in a dramatic cluster. Handmade from silk on metal.
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 Aqua Creations, Ayala Serfaty
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 34 in W 46 in D 38 in
Soma Series: Sangha, Hanging Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Once XI, Sculptural Table Lamp, Israel, 2023
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Once IX, Sculptural Table Lamp, Israel, 2023
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Rama VIII, Ceiling-Mounted Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Rama VII, Ceiling-Mounted Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Rama IV, Ceiling-Mounted Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Rama III, Ceiling-Mounted Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Rama I, Ceiling-Mounted Light Sculpture, Ayala Serfaty, Israel, 2024
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes light sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirati...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Once III, Sculptural Table Lamp, Israel, 2023
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
Ayala Serfaty, Once IV, Sculptural Table Lamp, Israel, 2023
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic