RUTH TABANCAY: (UN)NATURAL ORDER

The work in Ruth Tabancay’s (Un)Natural Order illustrates natural earth systems impacted by interactions with human or other species.

The burning of fossil fuels and their use in plastic manufacturing are among the causes of global warming. The ocean’s coral reef systems can be affected by an increase in temperature as small as 2° Fahrenheit. Corals form a mutualistic relationship with the algae zooxanthellae. Warmer temperatures cause the corals to expel the algae and instead of stunning colors, a skeleton is left behind. Beehives are adversely affected by other species. Varroa destructor are parasitic mites that attack honey bees and have been named as one of the causes of Colony Collapse Disorder. Waxworm larvae, Galleria mellonella, are beehive pests that chew through beeswax. A mushroom in the forests is a visible indication of the underground mycorrhizal networks that form connections between trees, transferring water and nutrients.

Tabancay renders these points of interaction in assemblage and a variety of textile techniques. The repetitive hand motions used to create the stitches are both meditative and singular to the artist.