Jiayi and Horace were invited by Ms. Elizabeth Thomas to speak on their ongoing collaborative project, Rethinking Pests: A Contemporary Art Practice Connecting Art, Science, and the Natural World, on Sept 18, 2025.

Their lecture explored how contemporary art can intersect with entomological research to challenge anthropocentric narratives and spotlight the creative agency of non-human species. Drawing inspiration from Jane Bennett’s concept of vibrant matter, their work focuses on the “paving” behavior of ants, a behavior that mirrors human ideas of tool use and labor.

By making these subtle collective behaviors visible, the project reframes insects commonly labeled as “pests” into ecological collaborators. A viral video documenting the ants’ behavior sparked widespread public engagement and led to the creation of experimental films, “ant sculptures,” and “ant paintings.” These works were later featured in an exhibition that invited viewers to reflect on species entanglement, labor, and environmental responsibility.

Through this interdisciplinary practice, H&J use artistic inquiry as a platform for fostering deeper ecological awareness, interspecies empathy, and critical dialogue around biodiversity and coexistence.