Using Insects to Build Unusual Sculptures from Gold
#Art
Sat, Feb 23rd, 2013 11:00 by capnasty NEWS
In the above video, artist Hubert Duprat discusses some of his artistic creations. Among them, the use of caddis fly larvae to create miniature sculptures from gold, pearls and jewels. You can see a lovely write-up on Duprat's unusual work on Cabinet magazine.
Since the early 1980s, artist Hubert Duprat has been utilizing insects to construct some of his "sculptures." By removing caddis fly larvae from their natural habitat and providing them with precious materials, he prompts them to manufacture cases that resemble jewelers' creations. Information theory, as explained by biologists such as Jacques Monod and Henri Atlan, helps us understand what seems to be the insect's aesthetic behavior. The activities of the caddis worm, as manipulated by Hubert Duprat, are prompted by the "noise"---beads, pearls and 18-karat gold pieces---introduced by the artist into the insect's environment.
852