Joseph David Providence Farrugia

“Incarnation” is a series of paintings created by millions of honey bees, in collaboration with artist and apiarist Joseph Farrugia. Humans have drawn energy and inspiration from honey bees for thousands of years and this primal relationship lays at the heart of this series. From ancient Egyptian pharaohs to medieval monks to NASA, honey bees have been looked to as examples of hard work, cooperation, order and a measure of environmental health. This bond between us and bees has broken in recent years and the majority are in a crisis right now. “Incarnation” draws viewers attention to one aspect of the Anthropocene extinction unfolding, by displaying honey bees stunning fabrication skills, interlaced with dead or shed natural materials (bones, antlers, shells, feathers) and allegorical references.

To facilitate the making of each painting, Farrugia has designed and built modified hives to interact with his honey bee colonies. Viewers will be able to not only see the work, but also smell the aromatics from the wax to be inspired and invoked with awe at the honey bees abilities. Each painting is an assemblage of found materials by the honey bees and Joseph Farrugia. They are created in multiple stages by using the bee’s natural behaviours to add life to the art. Each painting takes approx. 18 months to assemble the materials and execute. The honey bees forage the land around Farrugia’s studio, bringing back nectar. The nectar is first transformed to honey, then to wax by the bees. In order to make 1kg of wax, the honey bees have to visit tens of millions of flowers to collect approx. 10kg of nectar. Farrugia collects bones, antlers, teeth and feathers while walking around his studio. He then composes the wax and materials on to canvas boards. These are introduced to the honey bees through different types of artmaking chamber developed by Farrugia. With some added honey onto the piece, the honey bees work the wax to the surface of the canvas panel. After a few weeks, the works are removed and coated in a propolis-shellac varnish to stabilize and archive the artworks materiality. At this point they are put into shadowbox frames to be hung for display in specific groupings.