Earth Day Installation for 711 Fifth Avenue

EARTH DAY + NIGHT
Celebrating Our Endangered Pollinators:

The 24/7 lives of Honeybees and Bats
Curated by: Ilona Manka, Director, Tenant Relations, SHVO

Judi Harvest is an artist and beekeeper who has dedicated the past 20 years to creating art that blends beauty, science, and environmental urgency. Her work aims to raise awareness about the crucial role of pollinators, particularly honeybees and bats, in maintaining the Earth's delicate ecosystem.

The Importance of Bees and Bats

Honeybees are vital pollinators, with over 20,000 species pollinating more than 350,000 food crops. Every third bite of food we eat depends on their labor, and without them, there is no honey, no almonds, no apples and no oranges. Bats, the only flying mammals, are equally important as nocturnal pollinators. They pollinate over 500 night-blooming crops including mangos, avocados, bananas, cashews, chocolate, coffee agave for tequila, and serve as natural pest control.

Harvest's Artistic Approach

Through her art, Harvest translates the silent work of pollinators into a visual language. Her exhibitions, such as "PROPAGATION: Bees + Seeds" in 2017, feature handmade Murano glass sculptures representing plants and seeds. She also creates paintings, mixed media artworks, and educational materials including children's books to raise awareness about these vital creatures.

The Venice Biennale Projects

For the 2022 Venice Biennale, Harvest created "Night and Day: Bats + Bees," an exhibition highlighting the 24-hour cycle of pollination. This project evolved from her 2013 Venice Biennale exhibition, "DENATURED: Honeybees + Murano," which connected the fate of honeybees with Murano's glass-blowing tradition.

The Murano Honey Garden

In 2006, Harvest began working with honeybees as both an artist and beekeeper. She created a Honey Garden behind a Murano glass factory, which has flourished for over a decade. This once-forgotten field now produces over 100 kilos of honey annually and has helped revitalize the local glass industry.

Conservation Efforts

Harvest's work goes beyond art. She includes seed packets with her exhibition catalogs, encouraging viewers to create pollinator-friendly spaces. A portion of her art sales supports organizations including Bat Conservation International, The Wild Bird Fund, and Bees Without Borders.

The Artist's Philosophy

Harvest believes that art can inspire action and change perceptions. By focusing on the beauty of life in its smallest forms, she hopes to attune people to the fragility of our ecosystem and the importance of pollinators. Her work serves as a bridge between science and emotion, knowledge and empathy.

Current Exhibition

The lobby of 711 Fifth Avenue will showcase seven unique Murano glass sculptures, oil paintings, and mixed media artworks by Harvest, bringing her message of conservation and appreciation for pollinators to a wider audience.

HONEYCOMB PRIMAVERA
Acrylic and oil paint on wood, Diptych with frame
97 X 98 inches
$20,000

ALVEARE LUNGO Ambra Oro (placement on gold credenza)
Murano glass, gold leaf and wire.
Hand blown in Murano, (Venice) Italy
12 X 34 X 12 inches / 30 X 86 X 30cm
$10,000

BeeNuts
Peanut shells, lavender, candy wrappers, false eyelashes and resin on tree bark mounted on linen in lucite box.
28 X 13 X 5.5 inches
$4000

RED BEE (placement on fireplace mantle in lobby)
Oil on linen painting in antique Italian gold leaf frame
14 X 18 inches / 36 X 46 cm
$10,000

DAY: PROPAGATION: Bats + Bees, I
Murano glass Bat and Bee with handmade Murano glass colorful seeds and fruits and vegetables they are responsible for pollinating.
Inside a glass case. Sizes variable
$20,000

NIGHT: PROPAGATION: Bees + Bats, II
Murano glass Bat with handmade Murano glass crystal seeds, fruits, vegetables and insects they are responsible for pollinating and eating Inside a custom plexiglass case
$20,000

BEEHIVE I
Wire, air drying porcelain, beeswax, gold leaf, resin, copper dust, Murano glass and candy tin. Illuminated with electric light with amber bulb.
23 X 15 X 14 inches / 36 X 58 X 36 cm
$10,000

For more info:
www.judiharvest.com
Contact: Judiharvest@gmail.com