Wax Structures

The decision to work with candles was inspired from the 24 hour experiment during which I roughly melted together one large candle from multiple other candles, which, according to my calculations, every section (which had a different colour) represented 4 hours. However, as discovered after the experiment, the candle I constructed (unscientifically I might add) was not a reliable source and my gut feeling was more accurate. However, there was something entrancing about watching the time pass through means of a burning candle and being transfixed by the melting wax.

Having never previously worked with candles, I undertook to become knowledgeable in the basics of candle making and visited the candle making company Kerzen Meyer in Luzern. ponse, I constructed a simple rotatable candle holder where the angle and direction of the candle could be changed. I tested different combinations of angles and a number of candles, observing their behaviour. From this experiment I was able to better understand how different wax structures occur and form. This led me to experiment further and move to a bigger scale.

I first tested factors which affected the burning of the candles. The melted pools of wax and structures that emerged from the melted wax interested me. In res-