Connecting your Love - part 1

Catharinaplein, De Markt, Heuvel, Eindhoven Airport

For thousands of years, butterflies have been the Chinese symbol of love. Of all the romantic mythologies, the butterfly has remained constant, generation after generation. They continue to amaze people, each time they flutter by. The Chinese myth that inspired ASML to make this project, is about love and passion for your loved ones. Sometimes, you may lose someone or struggle to find someone. The story – the myth – explains that only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh calendar month, a bridge will be formed by butterflies. This bridge restores these connections with your loved ones. Separated couples come together and lost friends or family members find each other again, wherever you are.

‘Connecting your love’ stands for transformation, hope, re-birth and change. Even at the most unexpected moments. A kiss with your loved one, a hug with your children or an exceptional achievement at work. ‘Connecting your love’ discovers and connects. Because, who doesn’t recognise the butterfly feeling? Butterflies flying around in your tummy. This feeling brings you alive. To remind people that we are living in a time to love and be loved, ‘Connecting your love’ makes the connection. It is not only about love for your family and friends, but also for the whole community. A deep desire to be with family, friends and loved ones.

The butterflies are made from Chinese silk by artisans at the Qinghuai Lantern Festival in Nanjing. They are made by hand with the greatest care and are decorated with paintings by Chinese master craftsmen.

Everyone is invited to come together to see the butterflies fly above Eindhoven. From the Markt to Eindhoven Airport, and the LED screen at De Groene Toren The butterfly project would not have been possible without the creative engineers at ASML and in particular Xuemei Lang. Xuemei was an intern at ASML and joined the GLOW Labs, where ideas are turned into light art. This is where she introduced this Chinese mythology, thus inspiring her colleagues. Sander de Bruijn, chief designer at Efteling, drew the beautiful design of the butterfly and determined the positioning of them on the Market square. Together with ASML employees Katja Moors, Sumeet Rohilla, Mohsen Mehrafrouz,Willem Jan Grootjans and Xuemei (Melissa) Yang, his design was turned into an innovative project. Art and technology are combined in a breath-taking way. And this is also the underlying message: the more we are together, the better we express our ideas.

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Connecting your Love - part 2

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About the artist

ASML

Sumeet Rohilla: ‘Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable” a quote from Cesar A. Cruz. And this is exactly what Sumeet wants to achieve with art. In his work at ASML he explores, innovates and designs technologies for a better future. Sumeet is curious, open to new possibilities and is keen to learn from his experiences. His knowledge of the academic world and his strong background in biomedical physics research are a great help in devising and connecting scientific ideas. According to Sumeet, Eindhoven is not only a city of light, but also of design. It is bustling with design students and creatives from various fields. Something he finds very inspiring.

Katja Moors: Katja Moors grew up in the Eindhoven region. That is another reason to be proud to be a part of this fantastic project. ‘Because every project within ASML is special and different, GLOW has something extra special’, she explains. She has a positive energy and enjoys working with a team and getting to know her teammates better. You grow together and ideas become reality. For her, art is inspiration, relaxation and imagination.

Xuemei Yang: Art is about order and chaos, the fundamentals of how the universe works. She believes that is why we call the things we value ‘art’ It is a certain feeling that grows inside us and will manifest itself if you follow your inner voice. Xuemei sees life as a chance to do something great. She believes in the goodness of humanity and is passionate about technology and art. Her thoughts flow like butterflies. She finds inspiration in the things and people around her. She is proactive and follows her heart.

Willem Jan Grootjans: Willem Jan Grootjans is a software engineer at ASML. He is always looking for opportunities to use his technical mindset in non-obvious places, for instance in pieces of art. A few years ago he figured out that having the ability for artistic expression is a helpful counterpoint to his technical day job. ‘For me, art is an outlet with which I balance my highly technical work.’

Mohsen Mehrafrouz: Mohsen Mehrarouz is a software designer by day and a musician by night. Playing the guitar and developing computer programs happened to him almost at the same time around the age of 1³. Over the past 20 years his passion for music and curiosity for technology has taken different forms. From making electronic music to singing opera. Nowadays, his artistic expression gets a new dimension with the combination of technology, like here: at Connecting your Love.

About the artist

De Efteling

Sander de Bruijn: At the Efteling, we have been telling stories for seventy years. I was therefore honoured to be asked to design an iconic subject for this special Chinese myth. The light in the butterflies stands for hope and inspiration. That together you have a sense of belonging and connection. That you are more together than you are alone and that you can achieve more together than as an individual. That you need each other, especially in these times of individualisation.

Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022. Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022.Projects. 2022.

Projects. 2022.