DRIFT Dandelight Special Edition 2022

Dandelight - an artwork made from real dandelions. The first edition of this work was released in 2007. For DRIFT’s 15-year anniversary, the duo made a special edition (1/150) with 3 dandelions inside after following the 2 previous editions. The concept of the Dandelight is based on the same idea as DRIFT's signature work ‘Fragile Future.’ In this work, real dandelion seeds are also attached one by one to an LED, creating a light-emitting dandelion.

Since Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta created DRIFT together, they have shared a fascination for dandelions, and will hand-pick them every spring. According to the duo, most adults don’t pay attention to these flowers as they are generally
seen as weeds. However, dandelions are historically prized for their medicinal properties, and their seeds remain forever.

“Think of the transience of a dandelion – one blow, and it is gone. It is a plant familiar to every country and every culture, yet nobody really stops to look at it. In our increasingly technological world, I wanted to create something that could only be made by putting so much time and care into it, something that was not designed to be replaced by something else. The LED light seems a total contradiction, but in fact it is the same size as the normal dandelion stem and matches it perfectly." - Lonneke Gordijn.

Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta graduated in 2007, after which they joined forces and started Studio Drift. 15 years later, the duo works with a multidisciplinary team of 64 under the name DRIFT creating experiential sculptures, installations, and performances. Lonneke felt strongly connected to nature as a child. Ralph has been fascinated with technology and science fiction for as long as he can remember. Both artists implement these interests in the formation of their joint works, as can be seen in the Dandelight.