In 2012, Flinders University decommissioned a suite of microscopes and associated equipment from the School of Medicine. Once cutting-edge and of considerable value, these beautifully crafted and long-serving machines were now destined for the scrapheap. In response, Emeritus Professor of Anatomy and Histology Ian Gibbins and contemporary artist Catherine Truman conceived The Microscope Project, a collaboration at the intersection of art and science. They saw it as a chance to give the instruments a second life and explore the human stories behind the tools.
Chandelier was one of the resulting works, created by Deb Jones, Catherine Truman and Ian Gibbins. It featured in an expansive 2014 exhibition curated by Flinders University Museum of Art. A playful reinterpretation of 18th-century European chandeliers, the work blends modern illumination with decommissioned scientific hardware including various microscope components. Suspended above a void in the northern stairwell of the Student Hub, Chandelier serves as a whimsical and unconventional focal point—inviting curiosity and offering a surprising moment of delight for students, staff and visitors alike.
