A GARDEN OF INSECTS THAT LOOKS LIKE PLANTS

“ 'Garden of Insects' is a work where the Colombian artist uses her recurrent fascination for nature to capture in time the scene of a garden of plants. But when looking closely at what seem to be twigs and leaves, certain characteristics of those ramifications that are not so random stand out. Slowly, with the simple exercise of observing, they define and arrange themselves to form tiny legs and antennae, until, almost by accident, we discover that the whole scene is a collection of insects, which have been created by nature with that purpose: confusing us.

What attracts Cardoso’s attention to these little animals is the ability they have to appear to be something that they are not and blend into their surroundings. Curiously enough, this is an advice human beings try to apply to their everyday lives to belong to an environment and not be recognized as strangers. It is an analysis between the human race and the animal world. Same as mimicry, it is a question of behavior. By instinct, these animals know that it is not enough to just look like a twig or a leaf. It is necessary to look the part as well. They remain completely still, since for predators, what does not move is not alive and therefore it in not a food source, and they sway, as if blown by the wind, the same as their plant hosts. This way, the artist tries to reveal an entire world hidden in plain sight and frequently with amazing similarities to us.

But the artist’s interest is not making a statement around the subject. In her show she attempts to offer a space for people to look and admire, wondering what goes on there. She only wants people to observe. The appearance of these animals is supposed to go unnoticed. That is why the installation design resembles suspended museum showcases that once again, help the artist stop time so people also stop and see something”.

Bossa, Paula. Maria Fernanda Cardoso: Garden of Insects. Bogota: Galeria Casas Riegner. Available on: http://www.casasriegner.com/exhibition/maria-fernanda-cardoso-jardin-de-insectos/

By Maria Fernanda Cardoso

I have been working with other life forms since 1990. Questioning the ethics of this practice is good, as it gives me the opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings about why I do what I do, and how I do it. Let me assure you that all the insects I have used in my artwork had been ethically sourced and handled, they have been bred by me and others and were not collected from the wild. During the filming and photographic shoots, there was also no harm in the handling of such insects, as I am an expert in insect wrangling. The photographic lights used were cold lights so there was no stress to the insects. I have decades of experience as insect wrangler.

Animal representations in art is one the oldest and most recurrent form (i.e. cave paintings). We have evolved alongside many other species, and they are represented in all other forms of artistic expression. Yet, in our modern era, we are more and more distanced from the direct experience of encountering and experiencing other species. My art wants to bring other species back into our perception, and that's why they are found surprising when seen in the context of artworks.

I am particularly drawn to insects, as I find them incredibly complex regardless of their small size. I think they deserve attention and appreciation. I want to share my fascination and the insights I gain by working with them. My work has also been informed by the tradition of natural history, where we exhibit animal collections to help advance our scientific knowledge of the natural sciences. I acknowledge the paradoxical aspect of this relationship to the natural world. My practice also aims to create a marriage of Art and Science. It shows scientific facts using artistic language, symbolism, and an art context to present them to a wider audience. All of that without having to go hunting and killing wildlife.

The stick insects in the series Insect Drawings and the stick insect videos, were filmed and photographed at the Australian Museum’s Discovery Centre, and at my home studio where I bred Goliath stick insects as pets. At the Australian Museum, the stick insects were bred and kept for visiting children to experience live insects and learn about camouflage. Their purpose was educational. The Australian museum supported my art project as it promotes the appreciation and understanding of these other forms of life, as insects are often neglected (they camouflage so well that we don't see them)! I bred stick insects because they fascinated me. By filming and photographing insects that look like plants as artwork, my purpose was biophilic. It also aims to challenge the dichotomies of the realm of plants from the realm of animals. By presenting insects as art, I hope they surprise and create awe and empathy towards other species, and also deepen our understanding of the complexities of the natural world. Our lives and wellbeing depend on our love and understanding of other forms of life. That's why life forms are a recurrent theme in my artwork.

The butterflies my artwork The Art of Disappearance is the ‘Kallima inachus inachus’, or Dead Leaf Butterfy. It was sourced from an insect breeder in the USA. They are sold internationally for entomology enthusiasts and institutions. They have been legally bred and sold. They are not collected from the wild. Its use was symbolic, as it is a species that may look dead, like a dead leaf, and disappear as it stops to rest on a branch, or it can be colourful and beautiful, like a butterfly. I related to that dichotomy of these two survival strategies: that of being visible to gain a mate, and that of being invisible to avoid being eaten. I was amazed at the perfection of their 'mimicry' of a dead leaf, and I asked myself what kind of intelligence these animals have so that they know how they look and how to behave in relation to their environment. And how can you be at once dead and live, animal and plant?