DANCING UNDER DIAMONDS

Why change your tune?

Dancing Under Diamonds, 2008
Crystal glass and stainless steel
Unique work (3,000 crystal diamonds)
4,000 square feet
© Mark Humphrey

CLIENT
Jalouse

AWARD
London club and bar award

LOCATION
Mayfair, London, UK

“DANCING UNDER DIAMONDS BRINGS A CHANDELIER AND CEILING TOGETHER AS A SINGLE KINETIC INSTALLATION. THE CENTRE OF THE CEILING RISES AND FALLS, TRANSFORMING THE SURFACE INTO A SUSPENDED CHANDELIER OF CRYSTAL DIAMONDS. AS IT MOVES, THE FORM CHANGES BETWEEN TWO CONFIGURATIONS – INVERTED AND UPRIGHT – BEFORE RETURNING TO THE FLAT CEILING. THE LIGHTING CHANGES WITH IT, RADIATING THROUGH DIFFERENT COLOURS AND INTENSITIES.

THE INSTALLATION BECOMES A PHYSICAL EXPRESSION OF CHANGE, MOVEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION. WHAT APPEARS FIXED CAN SHIFT; WHAT SEEMS CERTAIN CAN TAKE ANOTHER FORM. THE CONSTANTLY CHANGING CEILING REFLECTS THE WAY PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR THOUGHTS, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR AS CIRCUMSTANCES EVOLVE.

THE WORK PLAYS ON THE EXPRESSION ‘DANCE TO A DIFFERENT TUNE’ – TO RECONSIDER, ADAPT AND SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. CHANGING YOUR TUNE CAN BE POSITIVE: AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK WHAT YOU BELIEVE, RESPOND TO NEW CIRCUMSTANCES AND REMAIN OPEN TO ANOTHER WAY OF SEEING. IT CAN ALSO RAISE A MORE CHALLENGING QUESTION – ARE WE CHANGING BECAUSE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO, OR BECAUSE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE IS CONTROLLING US?

THE DIAMONDS BECOME A METAPHOR FOR PEOPLE WITHIN A CONSTANTLY CHANGING WORLD. WE CAN REMAIN FIXED, OR WE CAN MOVE. WE CAN CLOSE OUR MINDS, OR WE CAN REMAIN OPEN – OPEN TO CHANGE, OPEN TO POSSIBILITY, OPEN TO CHANGING OUR TUNE.”

Mark Humphrey

“MAN OF MANY TALENTS.”

The Resident
Design and lifestyle magazine