BEE EXODUS

The word, home, causes one to recall a wide range of memories - some good and some not so pleasant. When home becomes threatened, even more emotions rise to the surface and cause everyone to react strongly. Unfortunately, when their home is threatened it does not generate as much emotion as when my home is on the cards. And because of this, many homes fall by the wayside seemingly unnoticed.

The honeybee is one of the innocent inhabitants of our world whose home is under serious attack. Known and unknown factors are destroying the honeybee to such an extent that the term Colony Collapse Disorder has been coined to refer to this world-wide tragedy.

During the last two winters, America lost about 70% of their beehives. Countries as far apart as Japan and Italy have lost 45% of their bee population. In South Africa, beekeepers report daily that beehives are empty and no other swarms of bees want to inhabit the hives. Apple farmers in the Langkloof area have predicted large crop losses due to the shortage of bees to pollinate the apple blossoms.

So, what has this to do with my home? you ask. Well, according to Einstein it has everything to do with us as he predicted many years ago that if the honeybee vanishes from earth, the human race will follow suit within four years.

With this work, I want to focus on the bees exodus:

When a light shines from a 45 degree angle onto the sculpture the bees shadows look like pencil drawings on the flat white service (see attached photos). However, if a person moves in front of the light whilst looking at the work, their own shadow destroys the bees shadows. This is symbolic of the dangerous shadow that mankind has over the vulnerable earth and its creatures.