The Swarm By David Almejd Analysis
Perrichon, Celine
Professor Haynes
Art History 1B
27, January 2014
“The Swarm”
By David Altmejd
When it comes to creating art with energy and metamorphosis David Altmejd exemplifies this magnificently. The piece I have chosen is called “The Swarm” made in 2011. A Canadian born artist, Altmejd completed his BFA from the Université du Québec à Montréal and later on his MFA at Columbia University. As a child he always had a love and fascination for science and evolution and wanted to become a biologist. A great deal of his work is inspired by science, nature, and seductively shows the art of transformation. When it comes to making his sculptures, Altmejd wants his audience to concentrate on the complexity of his …show more content…
The point of the plexiglass is to help support the structure and give the illusion of the objects floating in space but also meant to be invisible. Inside the box is a swarm of plexiglas made bees adorned with gold chains, metal wires, multiple webs of vibrant colored thread, and pastel colored synthetic wigs resembling jellyfish swimming through the ocean. When looking at the hand colored threads they create a form almost resembling the nervous system of the human body. The swarm of bees floating through space is soft and resembling a cloud but at the same time aggressive with the potential of the insects to sting you. Also inside we see disfigured floating heads filled with needles and swarmed by ants to show the more destructive side of this work. Altmejd is also a big fan of orifices because they let light in and lets the object breathe; which is why you see a frequently body parts such as molds of ears, noses, and heads in this container. Crystals have additionally been a huge part of David’s work which he uses real amethyst and crystals derived from nature.
2
David calls this plexiglas container his laboratory because it gave him a chance
Professor Haynes
Art History 1B
27, January 2014
“The Swarm”
By David Altmejd
When it comes to creating art with energy and metamorphosis David Altmejd exemplifies this magnificently. The piece I have chosen is called “The Swarm” made in 2011. A Canadian born artist, Altmejd completed his BFA from the Université du Québec à Montréal and later on his MFA at Columbia University. As a child he always had a love and fascination for science and evolution and wanted to become a biologist. A great deal of his work is inspired by science, nature, and seductively shows the art of transformation. When it comes to making his sculptures, Altmejd wants his audience to concentrate on the complexity of his …show more content…
The point of the plexiglass is to help support the structure and give the illusion of the objects floating in space but also meant to be invisible. Inside the box is a swarm of plexiglas made bees adorned with gold chains, metal wires, multiple webs of vibrant colored thread, and pastel colored synthetic wigs resembling jellyfish swimming through the ocean. When looking at the hand colored threads they create a form almost resembling the nervous system of the human body. The swarm of bees floating through space is soft and resembling a cloud but at the same time aggressive with the potential of the insects to sting you. Also inside we see disfigured floating heads filled with needles and swarmed by ants to show the more destructive side of this work. Altmejd is also a big fan of orifices because they let light in and lets the object breathe; which is why you see a frequently body parts such as molds of ears, noses, and heads in this container. Crystals have additionally been a huge part of David’s work which he uses real amethyst and crystals derived from nature.
2
David calls this plexiglas container his laboratory because it gave him a chance