Ilkka Paloniemi Plasma Bees, 2024

Plasma Bees is a series of four bee potrettes made of neon lights and recycled frames. The playful ensemble contains references to both the history of art and different forms of energy.

The neon lights, glowing with man-made energy, represent bees, which in turn produce their own kind of energy from nature – honey. The red-glowing modern pots are framed by old-fashioned gilded frames that suggest the dignity of the bees.

“Inspired by the glow of the diesel engine, I sketched different loops from which various insects began to emerge: ants, wasps, spiders and bees.”

The neon gas inside the glass tubes turns into glowing plasma under the influence of electricity. It is estimated that plasma is the most abundant form of matter in the universe, so abundant in stars and nebulae that it may make up more than 99% of all matter.