Insect Artist Jennifer Angus Visits MSU
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EmailArtist Jennifer Angus, known for her insect-based installations, returned to MSU for a lecture and to reconnect with the Department of Entomology after serving as a panelist at its Excellence in Insect Science Symposium in 2024.
Jennifer “Jenny” Angus, a Canadian artist who works with thousands of real insects, returned to Michigan State University for a lecture as part of the Stanley and Selma Hollander Lecture Series hosted by the Department of Art, Art History and Design.
Angus is no stranger to MSU’s Department of Entomology. Last year, she served as a panelist at the Excellence in Insect Science Symposium, a two-day event focused on leveraging insect science to address global grand challenges such as One Health, climate resilience and STEM education.
Angus’ art is hard to forget, she works with real insects in her site-specific installations, arranging them in a wide variety of patterns and intricate designs.
A professor of design studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Angus has a background in fashion design. It was there she became fascinated by pattern and its implications. Her research in pattern led her to Thailand, where she studied indigenous textiles. There, she came across a shawl that incorporated beetle elytra in the fringe; “They’re like nature’s sequins,” Angus said. That discovery sparked her journey into the intersection of art and entomology.
Over the last 20 years, Angus has collected insect specimens from around the world for her installations, prioritizing ethical sourcing and reusing specimens in each exhibit.
Each installation is site-specific, designed to uniquely fit into the space where it's exhibited. After taking inspiration from the spaces themselves, she spends the next 5-10 days installing her work.
Despite the uniformity within the elaborate patterns Angus creates, she mentions that she is very meticulous about which specimens she selects for install.
“Each insect is so different, the same way every human is different, but it’s part of the process to select specific specimens that can morph together into one cohesive piece, all looking the same,” she said.
Angus’ goal and motivation behind using insects in her installations is to bring awareness to new audiences about the importance of the roles insects play in ecosystems and the looming threat of climate change.
“An art exhibit is a stealthy way to get people to confront things they may be avoiding,” Angus said. Catching people's attention and holding it is a difficult task, but, according to Angus, necessary as an artist.
“Artists are translators. We make things understandable. We have the imagination and the skills to make these anthropomorphizations that are necessary to get people to engage with things like insects.”
Insects are easy to overlook, but they are essential to human life. From pollinating food crops to decomposing organic matter, their importance to ecosystems cannot be overstated. Through both art and science, we continue to uncover the significance of insects to humanity, a pursuit shared by researchers and artists alike.
