Jennifer Angus: Flying Jewels & Other Lofty Insects

This spring, as temperatures and hopes begin to rise, our featured sculpture exhibitions also reach upward. Meijer Gardens’ Sculpture Galleries will be transformed with installations by two individual artists—Jennifer Angus and Paul Villinski—who both explore the lofty realms of flight. Together their works transport visitors to new heights of sensory experience and imagination.

Insects are the prime medium of internationally exhibited artist Jennifer Angus. Composing the small creatures into kaleidoscopic room installations, Angus highlights our mixed relationship with these ubiquitous beings. With insects pinned directly to walls in repeating patterns that reference both textiles and wallpaper, Angus’ installations speak to ideas of domestic comfort and the unseen world of dust mites, germs, and bacteria. The jewel-like quality of insects is showcased in shimmering bell jar tableaux and in glowing jelly jars set in windows with the effect of stained glass. Through such reverent---even holy—presentations, the vital and threatened insect population is given its proper due. Angus’ recent work has drawn inspiration from the Victorian era and is fueled by her fascination with the multifaceted nature of insects that are at once exotic, grotesque, and enchanting. Her original installation for Meijer Gardens takes the iridescent green wings of the “Jewel Beetle” as her aesthetic departure point.