Artist statement

I created a functional bag in the form of a Hercules beetle inspired by designer Amanojaku to Hesomagari’s ‘Bug Bags’. This work explores my love for bugs and belief that they should not be so feared. I used colour both realistically and symbolically. Hercules beetles are green and black; however, I also intended for the black to symbolise eeriness and fear, and green to represent life and sickness, feelings that people often associate with insects. Additionally, I created a small heart, which is placed inside the bag, representing the sentience of even the smallest of creatures. This was intended to enhance the meaning of the work as, without this accompanying explanation, audiences would not know that the beetle had a heart, much like they assume insects do not. I wanted to make a statement about how misjudged these beautiful creatures are.

Process

My most “trust the process” creation: The Beetle Bag. I began by drawing a guide of the beetle's anatomy onto foam. I then used duct tape to create the shape of the foam and flattened it onto material to cut out the patterns and sew them together. I further detailed the bag by sewing shapes onto it, which greatly increased the liveliness of the bug. I created the strap from scratch using only material, a sewing needle, and metal. As a final detail, I also placed a heart inside the bag.