Shy Light

Made by: Lonneke Gordijn, Ralph Nauta and Jozef Hendricks

Materials: Aluminium, polished stainless steal, silk, LED’s, Robotics

This project is developed for Studio Drift. Studio DRIFT have exploited highly mechanical and electronic solutions in order to create a poetic and ‘living’ light. 

SHYLIGHT is a light hidden in a cocoon and based on the natural process by which flowers attract and repel pollen-gathering bees. , it falls out of its ‘cocoon’, opens its petals and floats down to show all its splendor. At the slightest danger it flips shut and retreats into his shell.

Inspiration for creating the Shylight comes from both physical and human nature. Many forms in nature are called at by our emotions, not only by their perfect beauty but also by their behavior. Shyness, fear, pride and hope, we not only see in humans and animals but in a much subtler form in plants and flowers. Depending on the environment, weather and time of day, the flower shows emotions of full regalia, fragrant and screaming at fertilization or closed, waiting for the sun and hiding itself from nature’s elements. In this behavour you see beautiful expressions of emotions.

The cocoon of aluminum and polished stainless steal, includes a motor and a control for light and movement. All elements in Shylight are specially designed for it and handmade. The mechanism that drives the lamps is deliberately visible to show the simplicity and beauty of the technics. The light consists of many layers of pure silk kept apart by the polished RVS. The pattern is stitched in such a structure that it dances with every movement.

Shylight unfolds its blossom by a system of springs, creating the form once out of the cocoon. Gravity let’s Shylight slight down and a motor controls the upward movement. The brightness and speed of the movement are fully programmable, making them able to dance to music in a group for a particular situation. The Shylight’s program .

Every Shylight is programmeble by I-phone or I-pad and can be combined with additionalShylight’s to perform a art piece of dansing, timing illumination. Shylight is also DMX programmable, and therefore can be used as an element in events.

SHYLIGHT was developed between 2006 to 2012.