“Swarm of Bees: The Suspension of Disbelief”, the latest installation in The Box at The Standard, Hollywood by Los Angeles-based filmmaker and artist Britt Browne was created to cause a stir. “I hope my audience will take pause, if only for a brief second to become alert, conjuring faith that what they are seeing is truly happening - that there really is a swarm of bees in The Box at The Standard, Hollywood.”
The installation is an alert in 3-D about the decline of the honeybee and the staggering environmental impact it will have.
At first glance, the installation looks to be a swarm of bees, but a closer examination reveals that the swarm is constructed from dried blueberries, black turtle beans, Peruvian wool dyed with marigolds, Osage, pomegranates and turmeric. The bees are set against a background sky dyed with natural indigo.
The all natural materials, including the honey, are emblematic of a deeper connection to nature – one that is necessary to bring this issue to light. (Browne eats honey every day and felt instantly committed to the cause, claiming it as a conversation of which she wanted to be a part.)
“This is inspired by the moments in between where we can handle believing in the reality of the declining bee population and that there will be, in fact, serious consequences if we don’t take action now to save them,” she said. For more information on the decline of the honeybee, Browne suggests visiting SOS-Bees.
And to raise awareness, The Standard, Hollywood will be serving a rosemary gin fizz, made with gin, fresh lemon juice, club soda and Altadena’s Chaparral Mountain Honey, along with a rosemary sprig garnish.
Photography by Melissa Manning
Model: Katherine Montgomery
