2021 Pint of Science Festival Artwork
Inspired by Ban Ki-moon’s quote, “There can be no Plan B because there is no planet B,” my artwork Planet Bee is a playful and ironic response depicting a thriving sustainable world where people live in a vibrant community as ‘bee-people’.
With approximately one-third of what we eat dependant on the pollination of bees, these little heroes are a vital part of our ecosystem. Sadly, bee populations are declining globally as they face a range of threats including industrial agriculture and climate change. So I wanted to celebrate the continual research efforts in Australia in promoting bee health and further understanding the ecology and behaviour of bees – not only the honey bee but also lesser-known Australian native bees. I chose the mascot to be the native Stingless Social Bee, to highlight the social aspect of Pint of Science. Other native bee-people scattered throughout the science-inspired landscape include the Carpenter Bee, Teddy Bear Bee and Blue-Banded Bee.
But ultimately, I wanted to show how bees can inspire us to be a better society. Social bees live in complex social structures and use their collective intelligence, and work harmoniously together, to ensure the greater good of their hive’s survival. This is something I believe humans can learn from bees.
While there may not be a planet B, long live Planet Bee!
