Designer Harry Nuriev Finds Inspiration in the Fanciful Downspouts of His Russian Hometown

I grew up in a rural town in southwest Russia, Stavropol. We didn’t have magazines. We didn’t really have any art museums. We didn’t have Internet. I got my first computer in my twenties. But my sense of curiosity was always very strong, and I would create my own version of reality and intertwine it with "normal" reality.

These rain gutter waterspouts were used for izbas—single-family homes made from wood without any nails. Back in the day, they were designed by their homeowners, so each piece is unique. They’re made out of tin, which is easy to mold and cut to create shapes and flowers. I looked at them as art objects, separate from the rest of the building.

These pieces are a great example of how art, design, technology, materials, and even fashion come together—the 3D flowers look like the ones Chanel uses for its signature floral work—and you feel the honesty that comes from the heart of the maker.  

My childhood is a huge part of my work. The colors, surfaces, and shapes I remember, like these downspouts, were a strong inspiration for a recent lighting collection. It makes me happy to travel back and experience the same feelings and smells, recycling memories and emotions into the present. That’s why my work looks so retro-futuristic.

Project Credits:

Photography: Julia Tatarchenko / @jultat