The Enlightened Waste exhibition at the London Design Festival challenges preconceived notions around the value of materials.
French-Mexican designer Thierry Jeannot and Austrian artist Gisela Stiegler use plastic waste packaging to create enchanting light objects.
Presented by the Marion Friedman Gallery, Enlightened Waste is an installation conceived out of a considerable amount and range of light objects, where the material doesn’t reveal its provenance at first sight.
One example of the work shown here is a chandelier made out of 1 500 PET bottles, constructed with help from residents in disadvantaged communities in Mexico City. There’s also a series of lamp sculptures carved out of polystyrene boxes obtained from the fishmongers of Viennese markets.
Upcycling at its very best, these pieces mimic luxury with the chandelier looking just like a crystal creation and the polystyrene lights resembling ivory and alabaster.
