Beehabilitation on Spaceship Earth

McLernon, Dylan

Beehabilitation on Spaceship Earth

dc.contributor.advisor	Eiserman, Jennifer
dc.contributor.advisor	Leblanc, Jean-René
dc.contributor.author	McLernon, Dylan
dc.contributor.committeemember	Hardy, Michele
dc.date	2018-11
dc.date.accessioned	2018-10-05T18:38:55Z
dc.date.available	2018-10-05T18:38:55Z
dc.date.issued	2018-09-07
dc.description.abstract	“Spaceship Earth” is an enclosed ecosystem where the survival of all crew members depends on our ability to coexist (Ward). Currently, important life support systems on Spaceship Earth are malfunctioning due to human neglect. One result of this malfunction is the rapid decline of fellow crew members such as bees. Humans rely on bees to help pollinate over one-third of our food supply. Thus, our survival is inevitably linked to bee health. With all crew members of Spaceship Earth in mind: What could an ecological space look like where human beings live harmoniously and productively with bees? Beehabilitation on Spaceship Earth is an eco-art initiative that is focused on engaging citizens as actors towards the study and ecology of Calgary’s urban bumblebee populations. In a collaborative effort with Dr. Ralph Cartar from the department of Bioscience, small ceramic sculptures called Bumblebee Domiciles have been designed and field tested. As part of my graduate exhibit in the Nickle Galleries, Bumblebee Domiciles are being offered to the public for free. People who choose to take a Bumblebee Domicile are expected to take part in a community-based art project, to answer five questions about the sculptures functionality. Beehabilitation utilizes Research Creation as an overarching methodology, underpinned by Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Relational Aesthetics. Supporting methods include observation, field testing, and collaboration. My research is contextualized within an eco-art philosophy to minimize negative impacts on the planet, while maximizing positive impacts for bees. Preliminary findings from Dr. Ralph Cartar’s field tests show a forty-percent occupancy rate in Tree Domiciles. The importance of native bee ecology on Spaceship Earth cannot be overstated. Beehabiltation will educate the public about urban bee populations and ways to create mutual spaces for humans and bees.	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	McLernon, D. (2018). Beehabilitation on Spaceship Earth (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33122	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/33122
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/108770
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.publisher.faculty	Arts
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en
dc.publisher.place	Calgary	en
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	eco-art
dc.subject	public art
dc.subject	bees
dc.subject	research creation
dc.subject	relational aesthetics
dc.subject	community-based art
dc.subject	community based participatory research
dc.subject	Collaboration
dc.subject	field research
dc.subject	beehabilitation
dc.subject	spaceship earth
dc.subject.classification	Fine Arts	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Education--Art	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Ecology	en_US
dc.title	Beehabilitation on Spaceship Earth
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Art
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
ucalgary.item.requestcopy	true