Bamboo and Flame

At once structural and serene, Bamboo & Flame by designer and artist Aku Zeliang is a sculptural candle stand that reconceives the potential of indigenous materials. Created for Nilaya Anthology’s “A Gathering of Light”, the piece is a striking fusion of form, craft, and context - crafted entirely from bamboo and cane, rooted in the rich material culture of Northeast India.

Each element- bamboo pole, cane binding, ceramic choker-is a narrative in itself. The raw materials are individually harvested from Zeliang’s Heirloom Naga Centre's raw material farm, and treated using indigenous methods passed down through generations-an alchemy of time, tradition, and tactility. The result is not just craft, but care, embedded in every joint and junction.

Bound with cane in a latticework reminiscent of architectural trussing, the design rises in rhythmic scaffolds. Ceramic chokers in orange hue hold the candles in quiet balance-unexpected, sculptural, precise. It’s a rare material interplay that speaks of region, reinvention, and restraint.

Only a handful were made. For the few who understand structure as beauty.