The Fragile Bee

Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum is pleased to announce an exhibition, “The Fragile Bee,” composed of photographs and prints, by artist Nancy Macko from Sept. 13 – Nov. 28.

Nancy Macko’s work is a combination of photography, prints, and installation art. It focuses on two extensive themes: flora and bees. In the exhibition “The Fragile Bee,” Macko looks closely at the world of bees. This compelling work is not only meant to inform the public about the plight of the bees but also to raise awareness of our interdependent relationship with them.

Macko’s interest in nature is ecological and even activist. The decline of the bee population is of grave concern. Her imagery, though, also has social concerns, particularly in regard to women. She is using the natural world to find metaphors and analogies that also reference the circumstances of women. Macko’s incorporation of bee imagery into her art enables her to make observations about human society: in fact, the artist has studied ancient matriarchal societies in an effort to imagine other ways of living. By drawing our attention to the life of the hive and the social organization of the bees, Macko not only educates her audience about their importance in food production, she also presents an alternative to the way we live now.