Bees often get a bad rap, despite the enormous benefits they provide – which go far beyond honey. Responsible for pollination a third of the world’s food supply, buzzing insects ensure that we can enjoy coffee, tomatoes, strawberries, vanilla and countless other types of products.
The climate crisis, habitat destruction, pesticides and invasive species are among the many factors that have led to unprecedented declines in honey bee populations over the past two decades. But for a Toronto-based artist Ava Roth (formerly) visibility is an important principle of her unique, collaborative practice.
Within concentric wooden frames, Roth uses encaustic and embroiders patterns with thread and beads, laying the foundation for the next stage of her process: placing individual works in her beehive and inviting the bees to determine the final composition.
The human relationship with nature, reflected by what Roth describes as the “tension between control and wildness,” considers our role in shaping nature according to our own needs and the consequences of our actions.
Bees instinctively build walls of prismatic cells to protect their brood and store honey and pollen, and the organic geometry functions in Roth’s pieces not only as an iconic aesthetic, but also as a reminder of the creatures’ remarkable capabilities.
Lately, the artist has been experimenting with three-dimensional structures and circular frames, deviating from the rectangular format traditionally associated with cabinets. She has also started a new one kintsugi-like series in which the bees ‘repair’ broken pottery shards with their comb.
Learn more about Roth website And Instagram.
