Nemesis (Νεμεσις)

Nemesis (2014). In Greek mythology, Nemesis (Νέμεσις) is the goddess of retribution — she who metes out merciless punishment to those who succumb to hubris: arrogance and indifference toward the natural order. Her name is translated as "to give what is due." In everyday speech, Nemesis has come to mean simply an arch enemy.

Most food crops depend on bees for pollination. The mass death of bee colonies is considered one of the most serious threats to food production worldwide. No definitive explanation has been found, though human activity — monoculture farming and pesticide use in particular — is widely considered a leading cause.

The installation consists of 1,000,000 dead bees. All died of natural causes and were collected over the course of two winters.

The work confronts the viewer with death at an almost incomprehensible scale. Its powerful, acrid smell stands in stark contrast to the piece's nearly abstract, minimalist form. One usually encounters that smell first, often from a distance, before seeing the work itself. I wanted to bring something vast and abstract — the collapse of ecosystems, the fragility of food production — into direct, visceral contact with the viewer.