Green bees

Consequences of a world without natural pollinators
Green bees
Category
Installation
year
2022

Declining insect numbers worldwide raises questions about the future of food stocks, given that only bees are responsible for one-third of the food we eat. This installation resembles a military field wardrobe from an operation in a near speculative future where global natural pollinators have become nearly extinct. Armies have taken over farms worldwide and started hand-pollinating crops to manage the food and economic imbalances resulting from the pollinators' absence. The tools for such activity are everyday household items whose possession would be restricted to militaries only, changing the situatedness of such objects. The mission depicted focuses on apple crops, inspired by the current situation in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.

Two views of the military wardrobe

Upper part of the wardrobe with tools, pollen, guide book and pictures

Pictures of previous hand-pollination training

Tools for hand-pollination: toothbrush, paintbrush, makeup brush, duster, and pollen pots

Hand-pollination handbook cover

Example of hand-pollination handbook page

Middle part of the wardrobe containing military uniform

Lower part of the wardrobe with lightbulb assembled to a cardboard box to dry pollen