How a Yukon entomologist's fascination with beetle genitalia inspired an art project
A retired Yukon-based entomologist is finding artistic inspiration in the tiniest and most private of places: beetle genitalia.
Benoit Godin has been studying aleocharine rove beetles for 18 years. The insects spend most of their time in the litter layer of soil and can be found all across North America, including in the Yukon. In the sub-arctic region alone, there are 238 different aleocharine sub-families.
"They're really abundant — but nobody knows them," Godin said.
It's a testy situation for entomologists. The lack of knowledge is due to the fact that the insects are one of the most difficult-to-identify groups of beetles in the world. Most aleocharine beetles are roughly the same colours, same shape and same length (around half a centimetre).
However, there is one way to accurately identify these insects: by examining their genitals.
That's what inspired Godin's idea of depicting some of these beetle bits as large glass sculptures. An exhibition of his collaborative artworks opens in Whitehorse this coming week.
The different sub-families of aleocharine beetles have unique genitalia. Godin compares the private parts to neon art.
"To me, looking at them all these years, it always looked like neon signs and glasses ... so that's why I thought the medium of glass would be just the perfect one," he said.
To make the project possible, he enlisted the help of Luann Baker-Johnson who is the co-creator and artist behind Lumel Studios, a glass-blowing studio in downtown Whitehorse.
Baker-Johnson said she had no hesitation about collaborating on the project.
"When somebody comes to you with such an incredible dream and is so excited about it … there's no question about not saying, 'let's do it.'"
'What glass does not want to do'
Although drawn to the medium of glass, Godin does not have the glass blowing skills required to fulfil his creative vision. So, for this collaboration, he has acts as the eyes, while Baker-Johnson and her team serve as the hands.
Godin selects which aleocharine genitalia the team will attempt to replicate, and the artists at Lumel Studios then create it — with his careful supervision.
Baker-Johnson says the collaboration has pushed her to try new things with the medium.
"We're making glass do what glass does not want to do," she said.
A plan is made before they start. Godin creates a large plaster version of the genitals to help the Lumel team visualize how they will recreate it with glass. On one occasion, Godin brought in a microscope and slides of aleocharine genitalia for the artists to examine.
The glass blowing team then sketches out the shape of each part in chalk on the concrete floor of the studio, to be referenced throughout the glass blowing process. Each sculpture usually involves multiple pieces of glass being made simultaneously and then fused into one.
Godin hopes to have 15 glass sculptures in total. Once completed, the glass genitalia will be displayed in an exhibit at the Yukon Arts Centre.
Mary Bradshaw, director of visual arts for the Arts Centre, said it was Benoit's and Baker-Johnson's "sheer level of enthusiasm" that sold her.
"I'm like, this show has to happen, this has to be shared with the public … it is such a cool way to bridge art and science."
The exhibition will open on March 6.
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