As part of the 2011 London Design festival, Enlightened Waste was the first UK exhibition to showcase the work of French-Mexican designer Thierry Jeannot and Austrian artist Gisela Stiegler. Both Jeannot and Stiegler use waste packaging material to create enchanting light sculptures.

– Chandeliers made from up to 1500 discarded p e t (plastic) bottles, sourced and constructed with the help of some of the most disadvantaged residents of Mexico City.

– A series of lamp sculptures carved out of expanded polystyrene packaging material obtained from Viennese fish markets.

The pieces surprise and disturb our clichés and preconceptions about the value of materials. They mimic luxury objects, and in doing so, become luxurious in their own right. The chandeliers resemble crystal, remini- scent of Baroque or glass-blown pieces from Murano. The polystyrene lights appear like ivory or alabaster. The exhibition will be conceived as a magnificent light installation accompanied by sculptural furniture. Jeannot will also exhibit his new jewellery collection – made similarly with elements of the pet bottle – and will mount a special installation of the pieces. Stiegler will display a series of lamps – standing and pendant lights as well as shelving-consoles. By re-staging our unwanted material the designers demonstrate pure and genuine upcycling, reminding us to value and respect our resources and look at the possibilities for raw material afresh.