Angie Butler UK
Family Vespidae
Original book title: 'Country Seasons' by Philip Clucas
I had a wasps' nest, given to me by my Father-in-Law who had cut it down from a tree in his garden. We had watched & admired the swarm
of wasps working tirelessly on this amazing structure during the changing seasons - building, inhabiting & consequently vacating their nest.

I kept it safe on a shelf in my studio … until …

The book, Country Seasons by Philip Clucas inspired me to make a work, and also preserve the nest for others to see.

I wanted to evidence the story the swarm, by re-creating my own wasps from the pages of the book. I made a template of the Common Wasp and laser cut as many blanks as possible throughout the whole bookblock, folding each one to animate it's body, before placing them on or underneath the nest. The hardback cover was stood as an upright support, and adhered to a metal structure for the branch to sit in; thus re-creating the original position of the wasps' nest in the tree. The book was set on a pine plinth and encased in a laser cut Perspex box. By using the context of museum display, I want to present the reconfigured book as a new document, charting the life cycle of the wasps and their home throughout the seasons.

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