Artist:
Ray Besserdin
An exercise in realism. Wasps have always been my favourite insects, but the Spider Hunters, (Pompilidae) in particular. Pompilids are the wasps famous for succumbing Tarantulas in the Americas. They’re solitary hunters carrying their paralysed prey sometimes tens of metres to stock a burrow for the new larvae. They often boast beautifully bright orange or red warning bands, as here. This species is depicted pausing while hunting spiders on Eucalyptus bark. Spider activity can be seen by the traces of their webs still clinging to the bark as ants scurry past disinterested in the wasp’s looming presence.Sculptured from a variety of unique handmade Asian mulberry papers for the bark covering a French cotton armature curved to the shape of a tree trunk. The body and ants are Cansen 250gsm hot-pressed machine made wood pulp paper. Each body hair (setae) is individually cut. The transparent wings and eyes are from Glassine, and the spider webs are Mulberry fibres teased from Japanese Unryushi paper. Archival ink tinted colouring. Framed in Tasmanian Hardwood timber with staining to match the art behind museum glass.Winner: Silver, Dimensional Awards Show, New York, USA, 1996
Other Works by Ray Besserdin
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.