The summer of 1969 was a time of unparalleled human achievement, marked by the Apollo 11 mission and the first steps taken on the moon. It was an era that inspired awe, curiosity, and creativity, leaving an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of humanity. For celebrated American artist Cy Twombly, this historic moment sparked a series of works known as the Bolsena series, completed between August and September of that year. Each canvas in the series is a vibrant, abstract exploration of color and form, capturing the chaos, wonder, and complexity of the lunar landing. With hues of royal blue, scarlet red, ochre yellow, and gray set against a parchment-white background, Twombly’s paintings are a symphony of scribbles, rectangles, ethereal numbers, and smudges. These elements cluster together in loose, rhythmic arrangements, evoking a sense of vitality and motion. The series is not just a visual representation of the moon landing but a deeply personal and emotional reaction to the event—a rhapsody of feelings as Twombly grappled with the magnitude of what humanity had accomplished.
Fast-forward to 2020, and the same fascination with the moon that inspired Twombly found a new expression in the work of Roland Ellis and Dev Joshi, co-founders of the contemporary design studio Relative Distance. Their creation, Phase, is a timepiece that synchronizes with the moon’s cycles, illuminating and evolving in real-time to mirror the lunar phases. This captivating object is more than just a functional piece of art; it is a bridge between the earthbound and the celestial, allowing people to connect with the moon on a deeply material, aesthetic, and emotional level. Just as Twombly’s paintings captured the essence of a moment, Phase embodies the timeless allure of the moon, inviting users to experience its gentle, rhythmic changes in their daily lives.
For Dev Joshi, the inspiration for Phase can be traced back to a childhood moment of wonder. Sitting in a garden, gazing up at the sky, he realized that the moon, though seemingly small, was in fact incredibly far away. This epiphany sparked a lifelong fascination with the mysteries of the universe and the way distance shapes our perceptions of the world. Decades later, Joshi and his partner, Roland Ellis, have effortlessly closed the gap between earth and moon by transforming a fragment of the sky into a domestically sized, intricate object. Phase is not just a decorative piece; it is an invitation to explore the moon’s surface in unprecedented detail. The craters, cracks, and layers of mystery that define the moon’s landscape are brought into sharp focus, allowing users to engage with the lunar surface in a way that feels both intimate and otherworldly.
The creation of Phase was driven by a commitment to minimal yet multifaceted design. Guided by their innate curiosity and imaginative mindset, Ellis and Joshi combined innovative lighting and diffusion technology with cutting-edge manufacturing processes. The result is a sleek, almost impossibly slender object that feels spellbindingly spherical when viewed up close. Installed flush against a wall, Phase appears as a pure, unobstructed, and distraction-free encounter with the moon’s otherworldly charm. Its surface is rendered from a mineral composite body, available in two color options: darker Ilmenite and lighter Feldspar. This material choice nods to the concept of Lunarcrete, a hypothetical building material that could one day be used to construct habitats on the moon’s surface. The image displayed by Phase is a mosaic of 15,000 wide-angle photographs taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter between 2009 and 2011. This composite image reveals the near side of the moon in a state of constant illumination, unlike the directional lighting seen in photographs taken from Earth.
In a world dominated by screens, Phase offers a refreshing alternative—a slow, constant reminder to pause and reflect. Designed according to the principles of “calm technology,” this collectible piece features a simple, three-button interface that allows users to adjust brightness, set the date and time, and switch between three dimmable modes. These modes include a temporally synchronized display of the moon’s current phase, a fully illuminated view, and a short lunar animation triggered by touch. Phase operates independently of apps and Wi-Fi, relying instead on custom electronics, bespoke software, and a backup battery for seamless functionality. Its changes occur subtly, often in the periphery of one’s awareness, creating a sense of gentle, unobtrusive transformation. As Roland Ellis aptly puts it, “You don’t see it change, but you feel it change.” This emotional resonance is at the heart of Phase’s design, fostering a deeper connection to the natural world and inviting users to recalibrate their relationship with time itself.
Phase is more than just a design object; it is a philosophical statement rooted in the idea that understanding distances—between objects, people, and ideas—is fundamental to understanding ourselves. For Ellis and Joshi, the studio’s name, Relative Distance, reflects this belief. “When you measure anything at all,” they explain, “it’s always with reference to something else. All distances are relative… [and] understanding the relative distance between things helps you better understand yourself.” This philosophy is not only the foundation of their work but also the cornerstone of their friendship. Since meeting as lunch pals years ago, the duo has bonded over their shared passion for physics, astronomy, and technical challenges. Their collaboration is characterized by a natural, effortless rhythm—a dynamic interplay of conceptual ideas and technical frameworks that continues to evolve with each new project. Looking ahead, Relative Distance plans to expand Phase into a larger variant for public spaces, as well as develop other innovative designs currently in various stages of prototyping. With Phase, Ellis and Joshi have not only created a masterpiece of contemporary design but have also opened a new chapter in their professional journey—one that promises to be as exciting as it is meaningful.
