Unique bee event opens Monday at Ottawa School of Art

People keep sending me stuff about bees, including this from a friend in Connecticut, about an unusual art project.

Go ahead and see for yourself: Artist Aganetha Dyck Collaborates with Bees to Create Sculptures Wrapped in Honeycomb. The article, in something called Collossal: Art and Visual Culture, has amazing photos and an informative video about the artist and this particular endeavor. (Really, go take a look.)

But this turns out to be regional story too. Aganetha Dyck / Honeybee Alterations is coming to the main campus of the Ottawa School of Art, in the Byward Market.

Honeybee Alterations will be on display from March 3 to April 13, 2014. From the OSA website:

Aganetha Dyck is a Canadian artist whose artistic career spans four decades. Dyck has a keen interest in environmental issues; her current research delves into the world of the honeybees and specifically the interspecies communication that exists between humans and bees. Her current exhibition allows viewers an intimate look at the delicate and fragile nature that exists between us. Dyck’s collaboration with the bees produces sculptural alterations of man-made objects such as shoes, helmets and porcelain statues that could never have been created without this collaboration.

The opening vernissage will take place at the OSA Main Gallery in the ByWard Market on Thursday March 6, 2014 from 5 pm – 8 pm. Admission is free.

Truthfully, for me at least, there’s something slightly off-putting about the end result. I like the objects they coated in beeswax. And honeycombs are always a marvel of engineering and beauty. I’m not sure I like them combined. The result seems a tad creepy. But that’s just one opinion. And there are other aspects of the effort that expand thoughts on bees (and art?) too.

Something different and kinda cool – right here – starting Monday.

Tags: Aganetha Dyck, art, bees, canada, environment, Honeybee Alterations, Ottawa School of Art, tourism