April 6 – July 23, 2023
Artist Bob Sober invites viewers into the hidden world of insects. Using new technology and innovative photographic methods, Sober renders beautiful and brightly colored insects in intricate detail, with 30 large-scale photographs that explore the intersection of art and science.
Insects inhabit every domain of our daily lives, performing essential functions that help balance earth’s fragile ecosystem in the air, water, and underfoot. Insects have existed for 350 million years, while sharing the planet with humans for only the past 2 million years. Hundreds of thousands of insect species have been documented, far outnumbering the total of all other animal species.
Small Wonders aims to inspire our natural curiosity to understand the form, function, and diversity of nature. Large, high-resolution images reveal how insects display elements we attribute to good design or beautiful artwork. Colors like neon green, sapphire blue, crimson red, deep violet, and brilliant yellow are all part of the insect world. Wild, multi-colored patterns come from hair, iridescent scales, and from colors integral to the insect’s exoskeleton. Smooth metallic finishes and heavily stippled texture may exist on the same insect. Strange body shapes, delicate wing structures, and beautifully engineered body components captivate the eye. These tiny creatures are indeed artwork, in every sense of the word.
Bob Sober, a visual artist and technological pioneer, uses innovative photographic techniques to produce a series of beautiful images that bring the natural world to a scale rarely experienced until now. The exhibition is organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Left to right: Frog Hopper (Genus species unidentified) Philippines red, Lanternfly (Genus species unidentified) Thailand, Frog Hopper (Genus species unidentified) Philippines orange, 2015, digital images printed on aluminum, 30 x 60 inches each. Courtesy of art’s IMPORTANT, LLC.