Hive Consciousness

Steve Jarvis and Allen Peterson

Hive Consciousness is a performance work that develops an imagery of bees as a mirror to human industry, asking us how we are like and unlike honeybees in our work habits and our capacity for individual expression. Sculptors will use a coal-fired furnace to melt scrap iron, producing bee forms from the hot metal, which other performers will “fly” through the night air like glowing puppets.

Concurrently, a Human Powered Soundscape of percussive and stringed musical machines made from repurposed materials will provide an insect inspired chattering, squeaking, rasping soundscape to accompany and accentuate the other aspects of the performance.