Virtue of Blue Chandelier by Jeroen Verhoeven

Jeroen Verhoeven & Studio De Makers Van
Virtue of the Blue Chandelier, 2013

The chandelier draws inspiration from one of nature’s most sophisticated light manipulators: the butterfly. These creatures possess intricate mechanisms for both absorbing and emitting ultraviolet light. Their wings are covered with microscopic scales that reflect various colour spectrums, transforming them into living prisms depending on their structure and the angle of incoming light.

This same principle lies at the heart of solar technology, which we often conceal on rooftops or fields. Yet, like the butterfly’s wing, these surfaces are capable of both capturing energy and radiating it—a process as beautiful as it is functional.

In The Virtue of Blue, this hidden elegance is brought to light. Comprising 1,850 solar butterflies, the chandelier charges throughout the day, storing energy in its core. At night, it releases this energy in the form of a soft, luminous glow. Each butterfly plays a role in this collective transformation, making the work both a celebration of interdependence and a tribute to the overlooked aesthetics of clean technology.