4. The Wasp

Continuing from my last post:

DISCLAIMER: I left the original solution for 2 days without checking it. When I came back, the wasp had drowned naturally. I did not kill the wasp.  (I might have if I saw it whilst it was alive. But I didn't.)

Photo Evidence from the Crime Scene

He was very much dead when I got to him.

I removed him from the solution gently, avoiding the sting. He was soggy and delicate because he had been soaking for anywhere between 2 hours to 2 days.

I thought that he might disintegrate, but he was solid enough for me to tie a thin cotton thread around his midsection to allow me to suspend him in a borax solution.

For some reason, he did not crystallise easy. I think I left him for roughly 4 days with no development of crystals. Afterwards, I gently mixed the solution again, and intentionally sprinkled some of the borax onto him. 2 days later, I took this picture.

You can see the small crystals beginning to cling to his wings and body, which is exactly what I wanted to happen.

A day after this, I removed him from the solution. I didn't touch him, I just removed him by the thread and set him on a paper towel to dry. His body was very fragile and so were the crystals.

If I touched him, I feared he would break.

Immediately after removal. Wet and shiny.

After drying. By this point, the crystals had hardened enough to be moved.
I placed him on a leaf to photograph, because I enjoy the natural colours.
The yellow hues match the subtle yellows of the wasp's body.

Although, I found it strangely boring. I appreciate the natural beauty, but I longed for something that would stand out. To take it one step further, I added a thin coat of nail polish
(to seal in the crystals, and to add iridescent glitter).

I was thrilled with the results. The iridescent specs of flat glitter catch the light to form a range of colours. The golden shards bring out the natural yellow of the wasp's body.

I only varnished one side of the wasp, in order to preserve the natural effect on the other side, should I wish to return to that effect for later photography.

I intend to return to this wasp with a macro lens, in order to properly capture the small and delicate features photographically. I think that I will be able to create some interesting images.

Reflection:

Strengths + Weaknesses:

Strengths:

Unique - I love the contrast between life and death, (crystals coming to life on a dead organism) growth and decay (growth of crystals on a corpse that was otherwise falling apart).

I specifically enjoy the idea that I have turned something strong, destructive and harsh into something delicate, harmless and beautiful.

Wasps are usually volatile and hated, whereas crystals are cherished and sought after for decoration. They are poles apart, but work harmoniously together here and now.

Weaknesses:

Time consuming process of creation.

VERY small. The wasp itself is barely the size of a penny coin, so cannot be displayed as a piece of work. (To tackle this I will create and print stunning large photographs of the piece.)

Delicate. I struggled to suspend the wasp in the solution.

I had to VERY delicately tie a cotton thread around the midsection, and tighten it JUST ENOUGH to hold it, without cutting through the soft body like cheese wire. I managed it, although I feared that I might have cut through the midsection of the wasp slightly.

(Luckily, I think the crystals formed enough to keep it together.)

Whilst I was painting the wasp with the nail polish, I decided to experiment with adding polish to a larger surface. E.G leaves.

Leaves I collected from Needham Lakes

I loved the results - I found that they looked like they had been frosted.

To me, some of the glitter looks like little ice crystals.

They look like they have been plucked straight from a fantasy world, which I think is amazing. I would love to create a whole tree just with incredible, shimmering leaves.

I took close up photographs of the glitter. I find the contrast between natural texture and artificial glitter very interesting.