{"id":32569,"date":"2017-06-11T14:39:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-11T13:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robinmeier.net\/?p=32569"},"modified":"2026-06-12T09:05:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:05:05","slug":"active-matter-expedition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robinmeier.net\/?p=32569","title":{"rendered":"Active Matter Expedition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Infos<\/h2>\n
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2017<\/p>

Production Residency Pro Helvetia<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

Scientists: Nicolas Chaline, Ronara Souza, Hil\u00e1rio P\u00f3voas, Raquel Lima
Camera: Mikalai Zhaludovich
Editing: Mariko Montpetit
Thanks: Ci\u00e7a Winter<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n \n\n\n

During an expedition to the Brazilian rainforest with a team of scientists and a cameraman, we set out to interact with large groups of Eciton \u2018Army\u2019 ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studying their trails we tried to understand their collective behaviour and chemical pheromone signals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using resins developed with the help of an art conservationist in Sao Paulo and a technique developed by two entomologists in the UK we recorded the traces of this collective manipulation onto soot covered glass sheets, which were then developed as prints using various techniques (photochemical, cyanotype, aquafortis, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research is part of an ongoing artistic project on collective behaviour that probably started around 2011 with Tragedy of the Commons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, these new glass sheets, prints, video and sound recordings are yet to be exhibited. Since the trip to Brazil, I\u2019ve worked with various entomology labs in Lausanne, Paris, Konstanz and Sao Paulo to study and manipulate the collective behaviour of ants, robots, nanoparticles, birds and other organisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Active Matter, Eciton Ants on a soot covered surface in a cloud of smoke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eciton burchellii ant bivouac, Gunma reserve 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Human bivouac, Gunma reserve 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eciton burchellii ant trails on soot covered glass, Gunma reserve 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eciton \u2018army\u2019 ant traces in soot on glass fixed with resin. Digital scan C-print on Hanem\u00fchle cotton paper (150x110cm), 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Transporting glass plates in the rain forest, Gunma reserve 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eciton \u2018army\u2019 ant traces in soot on glass fixed with resin – gelatin silver print details, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Drawing a circle with pheromones, Gunma reserve 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Traces of Eciton \u2018army\u2019 ants on glass. Brazil, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dinoponera ants with wireless tracking tags at LEEC Universit\u00e9 de Paris 13, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Atta \u2018leafcutter\u2019 ants on a glass maze, LEEC Universit\u00e9 de Paris 13, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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