Emi
Emi is a rising San Francisco-raised artist whose work has quickly gained recognition across the Bay Area, with exhibitions and sold pieces spanning galleries, community spaces, and independent publications. Currently studying Visual Communication Design at San Francisco State University, she moves fluidly between painting, sewing, and digital illustration, building a vibrant world shaped by childhood nostalgia, anime, and video-game storytelling. At the center of her practice is her character XO (pronounced zo)—a bunny alter ego she has developed for over a decade. XO embodies vulnerability, moodiness, playfulness, and heart, serving as an emotional mirror and narrative guide through her evolving creative universe. Emi’s work is grounded in self-reflection and personal storytelling, offering pieces that feel intimate, relatable, and full of life. Emi brings a fresh, youthful voice to contemporary art and design—inviting viewers to step into her world and meet XO along the way.
project overview
The Sculptural Lamp S and La Pepino Series Chaise come together in a study of material contrast, form, and spatial harmony. The chaise, with its plywood base and rich green velvet upholstery, exudes a refined yet grounded presence, while the Sculptural Lamp S introduces an element of light and abstraction.
Concept & Execution
At the heart of this project is a balance between structure and softness, light and shadow. The La Pepino Series Chaise is defined by its interplay of organic curves and rigid geometry.
In contrast, the Sculptural Lamp S disrupts traditional lighting conventions. Its form is both deliberate and fluid, casting dynamic shadows that shift throughout the space. Positioned alongside the chaise, the lamp interacts with its textures and surfaces.
Ortiz’s photographic composition captures these elements in conversation, using natural light to amplify the sculptural qualities of both objects. The setting within Robbie Whitehead’s home adds a sense of intimacy and scale, emphasizing the relationship between furniture, lighting, and environment.
Art Direction & Visual designs
The visual storytelling for this series is centered around texture and form. Ortiz employs a cinematic approach, allowing light to carve through space and reveal the subtleties of each material. The green velvet of the chaise absorbs and reflects light differently throughout the composition.
The overall aesthetic remains minimal yet evocative, creating an atmosphere where the objects feel both distinct and interconnected. The balance between soft and hard surfaces, bright highlights and deep shadows.
Conclusion
This pairing of the Sculptural Lamp S and the La Pepino Series Chaise challenges traditional distinctions between furniture and art. More than mere functional objects.
Through Ortiz’s lens, these pieces transcend their practical purpose, encouraging us to see furniture and lighting not as separate elements but as part of a cohesive.
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Jason Jägel
Jason Jägel is a San Francisco-based artist whose work uses storytelling to conjure fictional worlds where anything can happen at any time, like everyday life. His work is in many collections including the Museum of Modern Art - New York, Hammer Museum - Los Angeles, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among many others. His 2019 public commission, The Author & Her Story, is a 13x34-foot ceramic tile mosaic at San Francisco International Airport. “I want to create a place with its own inner life and see what happens.”
