1998-2000

In collaboration with New York and Connecticut beekeepers, I produced Bearded Lady pure wildflower honey. Over the course of a summer I built up antibodies to bee venom in order to perform a bee beard in which thousands of honeybees hung in a swarm from my chin. The piece is shown on wire shelving in museum cafes where viewers can buy jars of the honey.

View Bearded Lady Quicktime (5.0MB)

Bottling and Transportation: Amy Madden
Consulting Apiarists: Francis Bowen, Jim Gray, Lynne Harwood
Illustration: Abby Miller
Pamphlet Design: Julie Meridy
Pamphlet Editing: Elizabeth Schambelan
Photo Credits: Peter Meretsky, Carol Sinozich
Video Documentation: Andrew Fryband
Video Editing: Bernardo Morillo