ANTONIA WRIGHT

BE

NOW ON VIEW ON FAENA NEW YORK 

Antonia Wright’s Be (2013), a single channel vide depicting the artist covered in a colony of 15,000 bees while practicing Tai Chi. Tai Chi and bees are similar in that they both have the capacity for violence, but in their peaceful states, raise vitality in the body and the environment. Wright demonstrates the universal, fragile balance between threat and calm. In preparation for the performance, Wright spent an extended period learning Tai Chi and meditation, including traveling to India to receive instruction at an ashram. The performance raises awareness for the problems facing bees, while also serving as a visual metaphor for how we can remain peaceful even in the face of danger.

Single Channel Video 2 min 49 sec, loop