Emiko Artemis at MOD.
Sweet Tender
For the Herding Caterpillars sculpture, titled, “Sweet Tender”, I wanted to draw upon the way that the butterflies and ants work together in a mutually rewarding relationship. The shapes on the sculpture represent the movement of the butterfly larvae and their assistant ant helpers. I have also introduced human cast hands to remind us that humans are a part of the butterfly life cycle also, as we encroach into their natural habitats, and we need to take responsibility for this. I have used a combination of natural (ceramic and alpaca wool) and non-natural materials to create this work which reflects the world that the butterfly must navigate throughout their short lives. The shape of the sculpture is pyramid like, reflecting the movement of the caterpillars from the ant hives, upwards to the sorrel plant and eventually, as butterflies, into flight. The sculpture is brightly coloured, using a fluorescent based pallet , highlighting the urgency of human action that is needed to ensure the survival of fragile species such as the checkered copper butterfly.
Emiko Artemis Bio
Emiko Artemis is a South Australian based visual artist working across media. Emiko has post graduate studies in arts and theory and intersperses her visual arts practice with community arts work. Emiko has presented her work nationally and has participated in several seminars and interviews about her practice and research. Emiko is a proud and active member of both her disability arts and LGBTIQ communities.
