theo triantafyllidis

BugSim (Pheromone Spa)

Bug Sim (Pheromone Spa) was originally commissioned by the M Museum Pavilion for Floriade Expo 2022, Netherlands. More recently, it was acquired for the Whitney Museum’s permanent collection and included in the Shifting Landscapes exhibition. It will be on view until January 2026.

“A precious slice of microscopic life preserved in an intensive care terrarium. Through a moist glass surface and within lush vegetation expands a busy Colony of Ants. Slowly and painstakingly they are working to form a brittle purple mud into a structure they can call home. From this structure grows an entire forest of tiny flowering plants. Branching and blooming in every direction, they are calling to be pollinated by buzzing Honey Bee replicas. An Aromatic Snail and a Dung Beetle provide help, while a Storm Mantis and a Sugar Spider complete the ecosystem of microfauna, praying for a snack. All but self-sustaining, this closed terrarium system is engineered to simulate all the necessary natural cycles for the fragile community of organisms. The flow of nutrients, hormones, moisture and temperature constantly regulated under the sound of insects buzzing. An experiment in resilience and entropy carefully monitored by a mysterious figure, contemplating on the paradox of environmental repair.”

CREDITS

Live Simulation: Theo Triantafyllidis

Sound Design: Holly Waxwing

𖠊 𓆑 Photos from our visit to The Whitney Museum with Theo Triantafyllidis 𓆑 𖢥