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HIVE is a giant chandelier built in collaboration with the concept artist Maximilian Prüfer & KAIA lighting.
The installation is promoting awareness of global insect decline and part of the exhibition
Fruits of Labour, Maximilian Prüfer,
Weltmuseum Wien, 15.03.2023 - 19.08.2024.
Idea : Maximilian Prüfer
Lighting Design: Sebastian Hepting
Manufacturer: KAIA Lighting
More than 1000 glass jars are filled with honey and form a large cluster that resembles a bee nest. 100 of them are illumnated.
The 100 individual lights consist of delicate glass tubes filled with honey and brass elements. Inside, minimal light sources give the glasses a golden glow. Thanks to digital technology, all the lights can be individually controlled, and their light color can change between warm white and red.
“The MOVING LIGHT pattern in hive is based on the natural shimmering of honeybees in a cluster”
The shape of the chandelier follows a 3D model in which each glass element corresponds to a precisely defined position and length to obtain a closed skin of honey jars.
The light sequences are designed to show a fascinating but unobtrusive change inspired by the natural behavior of bees in nests. The defense mechanism against enemies such as hornets, known as the "shimmering effect," involves ripples that move across the surface of the nest in a split second as the bees lift their abdomens in succession. This natural phenomenon served as the inspiration for Hive. The remarkable ability to communicate quickly within a society is recreated in the installation as a wave motion of light and shadow that runs through the structure at irregular intervals.
On the viewer, the moving patterns have a mesmerizing effect. Due to the spatial depth of the installation, you loose yourself in a sea of glass jars that seem like a living organism and allow one to observe it spellbound.
Materials: brass, glass, honey
Measurement: 220x100cm, 250cm high
Power consumption: max 150W
Light: Digital RGBW Leds.