Two Modern Takes on a Chandelier

German-born, London-based designer Eva Menz is a romantic and idealist. Her 2004 collection includes two exquisite, modern chandeliers: “Free as a Bird” and “Money Can’t Buy Me Love.” “Money” turns the luxurious idea of a chandelier on its head, as it is created from the cut-up pieces of 100 clear, recycled plastic bottles and other found objects, all suspended from string. Despite its humble origins, it looks as glamorous as cut crystal.

For “Free,” Menz surrounds a neon bulb with several hundred, white silk origami cranes. Aside from the beauty it creates, the work also tests an ancient claim: that an artisan who folds 1,000 origami cranes will have her wish granted.