Rotterdam-based Slovakian artist Tomáš Libertíny orchestrates a delicate dance between art and nature through his sculptures. He harnesses the power of bees to create stunning sculptures out of beehives that serve as a poignant reminder of the precarious state of bee populations worldwide. Each intricate honeycomb sculpture that functions as a live beehive shines a light on the vital role that bees play in land ecosystems. They also highlight an urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these invaluable pollinators, reflecting on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land.
One of Libertíny’s most striking pieces, The Agreement, graced the lawn of the Natural History Museum London in 2012. Standing 1.6 metres tall, the living beehive sculpture was crafted from beeswax and inhabited by a colony of live bees. The piece was encased within a glass tower, much like other collections in the Natural History Museum London. The only difference was The Agreement was populated by bees that were very much alive, unlike the mostly fossilized, extinct, or taxidermied creatures of the museum. This choice was made to draw people’s attention to the alarming decline of European honey bee populations. As bees buzz around their intricately constructed hive, visitors are invited to contemplate the beauty and fragility of these remarkable creatures.
Libertíny’s reverence for bees was palpable in an interview with The Guardian. There, he shared how he reveres their remarkable contributions to humanity. Bees, he explains, are responsible for creating essential substances such as honey, royal jelly, propolis and beeswax that are used in common household items like soap, lipstick and candles. Beyond their role as producers of valuable commodities, bees play a crucial role in pollinating 85% of vegetation on Earth, making them indispensable for the world’s ecosystems.
Libertíny’s process always celebrates bees' innate abilities as architects and builders. He begins by providing a bee colony with a light beeswax skeleton frame upon which the bees can construct their hive, shaping it as they see fit into a palace fit for their queen. Libertíny also ensures that the bees are provided with food, which they then regurgitate as wax and honey that shapes the sculptural hive.
This collaboration between Libertíny and his bees showcases the interconnectedness of all living beings and the delicate balance of nature. Hence, by allowing the bees to dictate the final form of the artwork, Libertíny’s sculptures challenge conventional notions of authorship and humankind’s control of nature. He highlights the agency of natural non-human actors and underscores the importance of coexistence and mutual respect in humankind’s relationship with the natural world.
The connection between bees and humankind is especially palpable in his series Memento Vivere / Feed Your Head. The pieces are a series of tinted beehives in the shape of skulls that have been displayed as if they are “served” on a silver platter. In this series, Libertíny draws inspiration from skulls in religious and cultural symbols to create sculptures that serve as meditations on mortality and renewal. They also especially invoke thoughts around how crucial bees are for the longevity of humankind, as bees help pollinate plants essential to agriculture such as alfalfa and clover that are used as livestock feed.
As viewers gaze upon Libertíny’s sculptures, they are confronted not only with the beauty of Libertíny’s creation but also with the urgent need to protect the fragile ecosystems that sustain the curious life of bees. In today’s world that is threatened by environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, Libertíny’s beehive sculptures serve as a powerful call to action, reminding people of their responsibility to safeguard the natural world for future generations.