We kick off the new year with a performance art event in which crews of sculptors melt scrap iron and pour it into reusable molds to form bird-sized honeybee forms. These bees are taken out of the molds as soon as the metal has solidified, while they are still glowing hot. Performers grasp the hot castings using cold steel handles to “fly” the bees like puppets through the night in formations inspired by the dance-based language that honeybees use to communicate and cooperate inside the hive.
Hive Collective is the third and final chapter in the Crosspollination trilogy of performance art by Allen Peterson. These performances explore themes of collaboration, questioning our roles as workers within a system. Unlike previous chapters, Hive Collective looks at the friction that occurs when the structures that we participate in can either make some individuals vulnerable or create a situation that is beneficial for all.
Hive Collective is written by Atlanta artist Allen Peterson and performed with a crew of Atlanta-based sculptors who are experienced working with cast iron. This performance builds on the framework of soundscape and movement established by the Crosspollination series. Newly built sculptures that balance on the line between analog machine and musical instrument set the tone for an evening of hope, struggle, and celebration.
