I've been journaling memories this semester and it is proving to be a valuable way to generate ideas for work. One thing that stood out to me was a memory of chasing and catching lightning bugs in my grandmother's backyard. I remembered there being so many. They seemed to hang like storm cloud among the low hanging branches of trees, flashing as unpredictably as the bolts they are named after. Watching them swarm in my childhood was a near nightly occurrence at dusk during the summer and fall months. These days, I might see one or two of these flying beetles occasionally throughout the season, but can't remember the last time I saw a swarm of them.
My musings led me to research what if their populations are dwindling. I found that they are, on a global scale and not just locally. As is the case with bees, scientists aren't exactly sure what is causing their disappearance, however there is one theory that increased light pollution disrupts their mating patterns. This revelation has let to several projects I'm currently working on. They deal with a fossilization of memories and personal/family narratives dealing with fireflies through objects. The first one is a plaster cast of the negative space between my hands, depicting the gesture of capturing a lightning bug. This is a sketch and not the final piece. I'm still working out the final form and the best way to construct it.
No comments:
Post a Comment