Transcendent Bioangels — A Technomagical Ode to the Lanternfly in the Anthroprocene, vitrine, silicone, tv mount, lanternflies (2023)
Transcendent Bioangels is a sculpture that weaves together a screen mount, trophy case, silicone, and lanternfly carcasses. This sculpture embodies a deliberate exploration of hybridity, blurring the boundaries between the synthetic and the natural, symbolizing the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment.
Inspired by the recent introduction of the lanternfly species to Western Pennsylvania, the project delves into the concept of ‘invasive species’ and questions the violent language humans often use to label such occurrences. Amidst the technical and cynical reality of the Anthropocene, Bioangels explores the possibility of conjuring magic in the face of ecological crisis.
The sculpture serves as a reflection on the mourning for the lanternfly species, and the disruption they bring to a human-centric universe. Much like angels, the lanternflies blur the boundaries between the magical and the mundane, becoming signifiers of the mystery and otherworldliness inherent in a more-than-human world.
photos by Kitoko Chargois
Transcendent Bioangels is a sculpture that weaves together a screen mount, trophy case, silicone, and lanternfly carcasses. This sculpture embodies a deliberate exploration of hybridity, blurring the boundaries between the synthetic and the natural, symbolizing the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment.
Inspired by the recent introduction of the lanternfly species to Western Pennsylvania, the project delves into the concept of ‘invasive species’ and questions the violent language humans often use to label such occurrences. Amidst the technical and cynical reality of the Anthropocene, Bioangels explores the possibility of conjuring magic in the face of ecological crisis.
The sculpture serves as a reflection on the mourning for the lanternfly species, and the disruption they bring to a human-centric universe. Much like angels, the lanternflies blur the boundaries between the magical and the mundane, becoming signifiers of the mystery and otherworldliness inherent in a more-than-human world.
photos by Kitoko Chargois
