jasna guy with Lincoln Best: Pressed for Time

SEYMOUR ART GALLERY, NORTH VANCOUVER BC - June 9 - July 21, 2018
By Michael Turner
A consequence of our accelerating, space-saving times is the proliferation of acronyms, many of which refer to our mental and physical health. HIV, ADHD, PTSD are just a few that have entered the lexicon over the past four decades. For the insect world, the most devastating is CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon that has captured the imagination of research-based artist jasna guy, who, in collaboration with entomologist Lincoln Best, “explores our relationship with bees, the floral resources that pollinators require, and the complexity of our shared environment.”
For her current exhibition, guy has constructed a monumental floor-to-ceiling, black-and-white photographic installation featuring images of native flora whose prints have been dipped in beeswax. Exhibited alongside her installation, although on a more modest scale, are over 100 mounted entomological specimens and herbarium samples of local plant life. Taken together, the artful installation, the museological floral display and the participation of living organisms demonstrate guy’s commitment to both aesthetics and ethics.
In a November 8th blog post entitled “flutter”, guy provides insight into her creative process: “Sorting through piles and piles of old work, more precisely the cast off sheets of imagery on gampi from the bee-themed work from 2015, I started to play with the materials; exploring, in a sketchbook, the idea of collections, of possessing nature. Specimens, both botanical and entomological, are intrinsic parts of my new work, and I am reflecting on my own need to see nature as a collectible entity.”
seymourartgallery.com