Chandelier

Chandelier postmodern design

. . . held in place with screws that have jewels set in to their heads.

. . . screws have spherical heads inlaid with turquoise cabochons.

It hangs perfectly.

A commission for an uplifting piece, a chandelier, that caught the eye and stimulate conversation. The client wanted their risque suggestions incorporated in a custom design. With a postmodern design approach.

So here is a description of it’s iconography; the profile of the red central form and where it adjoins to the ceiling is a familiar feminist symbol. There’s the idea that light as in creation originates from here. It bursts out in all directions and in many colours. The coloured acrylic discs support this notion.

The material for the two central elements, where it adjoins the ceiling, is gilding metal. I hand formed it in two parts and silver soldered them together. The finish is with a bright chrome. They are held in place with screws that have jewels set in to their heads. The central suspended units are fitted with neoprene between the metal and perspex and are held in place by their own weight.

The chromed metal form, ceiling rose, adjoins the ceiling and is held in place at the top of the stainless steel cables. Stainless steel screws secure it and hold it in place. The screws have spherical heads inlaid with turquoise cabochons. They tighten onto the cables from which the fitting hangs.  Under this the stainless steel cables are fixed to a 1/8″ steel plate that is bolted to the ceiling. It’s adjustable so the height of the fitting can be varied.

The lamp holders are acrylic lamp fittings that I modified. They fit into the end of the flexi-tubes at one end. The perspex discs screw onto them at the other end. The flexi-tubes terminate in a threaded rebate. They are bolted on the inside to the central metal forms.

There are 10 lamps that are 12 volt 20 watt tungsten halogen. The transformer that supplies the power to them is located behind the ceiling fitting.  There are on two circuits, one with four lamps above the red perspex plane. The other with six lamps is below. Each circuit, each group of lamps, is separately switchable and dimmable.

The chandelier was handmade hanging from the workshop ceiling. It’s extremely difficult to handle, it’s like an octopus, and almost impossible to move.  It hangs perfectly.