Phases of Attraction
Phases of Attraction, 2025
45 works on paper, each 3 5/16 inches in diameter
Chemical lure for the Japanese honeybee 日本蜜蜂（にほんみつばち / mitsubachi), ink, paper, and Japanese honeybee honey
These works on paper were created during a residency at ARCUS Project in Moriya, Ibaraki, Japan. I used a scientifically synthesized attractant developed for beekeepers to lure Japanese honeybees as the base and experimented with how it influenced the movement and formations of ink and honey in water. The lure is modelled after the Kinrohen orchid, a flower that attracts the honeybees but offers no pollen or nectar. The bee pollinates the flower and receives nothing in return. This strategy is called pollination by deception. Replacing the orchid, the synthetic lure can now be used to attract bees to hives. It remains effective for 45 days.
I’ve been thinking about luring, seduction, and the nature of longing. The moon pulls at the body of the Earth. Desire moves like a tide, pulling, receding, returning. Sometimes the body responds before the mind catches up. Even when the reward leaves us feeling empty, we might return, pulled by pattern, memory, and desire. How do we break the spell?
