SWARM. Aesthetics of the common.

The harmonious movement of thousands of insects acting together as a swarm resembles a dance, an aesthetic formation. Insect swarms are closely linked to our environment and human society. They contribute to the pollination of flowers that are essential for the survival of many forms of life, including our own food sources.

Swarm movements show us that a larger collectivity is greater than the sum of its parts and that communicative co-operation within a group is crucial for success and peaceful coexistence. Insects and their swarms inspire artists, and perhaps us too, to explore the beauty and strength of the collective.

On display are works by Mirko Baselgia, Joseph Beuys, Lea Grebe and Philipp Messner.

The works of Mirko Baselgia, Lea Grebe and Philipp Messner are for sale.

Mirko Baselgia (*1982) creates artworks that reflect his values. This is reflected in his artistic practice through the use of local, natural or recycled materials as well as by observation and direct interaction with the environment and the organisms around him. This is also the case with his works centred around the theme of bees.

How can artistic research confront the complexity of the "system" of nature? Lea Grebe (*1987) has built up an archive of insects found dead. Cast in bronze, these creatures appear to have undergone a final metamorphosis. Their individuality is thus honoured in an act of empathy.

In dream interpretation, bees have a positive meaning because they embody valued qualities such as a sense of community, adaptability and a love of order. Philipp Messner (*1975) revitalised an abandoned flat with seven beehives. Paradoxically, he healed the space in a way that was both artificial and natural.