The world of shisha, with its centuries-old history, is undergoing a veritable aesthetic revolution. Hookah manufacturers are now drawing on pop culture, street art and contemporary design to create unique pieces that combine tradition and modernity. This fusion between the art of smoking and contemporary artistic expression gives rise to shishas that are truly functional works of art.
The Hooky x Richard Orlinski collaboration: contemporary art invites itself into the world of shisha
For 2019, the Hooky shisha brand has made its mark by teaming up with world-renowned contemporary artist Richard Orlinski. The collaboration has resulted in a limited edition Hooky Steel, featuring the artist's distinctive 'Wild Kong' style, characterised by angular geometric shapes.Hooky X Richard Orlinski features:
- Design inspired by Orlinski's iconic sculptures
- Made from high-quality stainless steel
- Available in brilliant chrome or sophisticated matt black finish
- Faceted and angled body creates unique play of light
- Numbered limited edition
- Smoking performance preserved despite the artistic aspect
This exceptional piece transcends its primary function to become a truly functional piece of contemporary art.
An explosion of colour: CELESTE and its limited editions
The CELESTE shisha, an emblematic El-Badia model, perfectly embodies this trend with its flashy colours and limited editions. First launched in 2006, the CELESTE has reinvented itself over the years, offering bright colours and original finishes that capture the essence of pop culture. The limited editions, often inspired by current trends or cultural events, transform each CELESTE into a unique collector's item, combining functionality with contemporary aesthetics.
The Russian avant-garde: street culture meets shisha
Russian brands have particularly stood out in this fusion of urban culture and hookah design. Brands such as El Bomber, Alpha Hookah and Mamay draw their inspiration directly from street and pop art, creating bold and unique pieces.
El Bomber: street art in shisha design
El Bomber has made a name for itself with bold designs that are heavily influenced by street art and urban culture. Their flagship designs include models inspired by inspired by the spray cans used in graffiti, oftenThey often feature graffiti motifs or stylised tags.
All El Bomber models are characterised by the use of high-quality materials, the incorporation of graphic elements inspired by street art, and a palette of vibrant, contrasting colours.
Alpha Hookah and Mamay
Alpha Hookah stands out in particular with its 'Alpha Hookah X Artist' collection, the result of collaborations with renowned urban artists. Each piece in this collection is a genuine work of art, reflecting the artist's unique style while retaining the brand's characteristic quality and functionality.Mamay, meanwhile, draws inspiration from pop culture trends to create innovative designs. Their models, often adorned with bold patterns and vibrant colours, are real visual statements that never fail to attract attention.
Aesthetic innovation at the service of performance
Other brands such as Moze, OVO and Amotion push the boundaries of traditional design by incorporating elements of pop culture into their creations. Amotion's Flash Bang, for example, with its grenade-inspired design, is a perfect example of this fusion of pop references and functionality.Moze, with its clean lines and meticulous finishes, brings a touch of modern sophistication to the world of hookah. Their models, often minimalist but always elegant, draw inspiration from contemporary design trends to create pieces that are as much decorative objects as they are smoking instruments.OVO, for its part, plays with shapes and materials to create shisha that resemble veritable modern sculptures. Their innovative approach to design transforms each shisha into a piece of contemporary art, perfectly at home in a designer interior.
Shisha as a new medium for artistic expression
The growing influence of pop culture on the design of shishas bears witness to the evolution of this traditional object into a genuine medium for artistic expression. These collaborations between shisha manufacturers and contemporary artists, and the incorporation of elements of street art and pop art into the designs, are creating a new category of objects that transcend their primary function. At El-Badia, we're proud to offer a selection of these innovative shishas that represent the best of this fusion between tradition and modernity. Whether you're a lover of contemporary art or simply looking for a unique hookah that reflects your personality, you're sure to find a model that will appeal to you in our catalogue.Shisha is no longer just a smoking instrument; it has become a genuine design object, a canvas for contemporary artistic expression. This evolution testifies to the ability of this ancestral object to adapt and reinvent itself, while retaining its essence and original function. The future promises many more exciting innovations at the crossroads of art and hookah tradition.
