PIPORNOT's Superorganism

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The exhibition at La MaMa Galleria, funded by Franklin Furnace featured installation work, photos, paintings and video created by aricoco (Ari Tabei) and an interactive performance by aricoco and Julia Benedict (writer/theater maker) and Kanako Hiyama, with the help of public participants. The installation explored the existence of insect society as a superorganism -- a highly specialized altruistic community, where an individual is dependent on the greater system for survival. The immersive installation emulated a human campsite, which was the closest meeting point of ant and human colonies. Guided by instructions, the audience were invited to navigate the installation. aricoco, disguised as an insect queen, needed help of the audience to complete her ritual of surrendering her powerless body to the habitat. Through the performance, the careful relationship between the powerless insect queen (a symbol of decentralized power) and her sterile workers (a key to the altruistic society) was examined.