The Oreo Cameos of Judith Klausner recently made the rounds on the internet, but lesser known are her sculptures using insect parts. They are a flip side to her fast-food craftworks, giving an added dimension to her motives beyond the humorously delicious.
Mantis Endoskeleton by Judith Klausner
Triumph by Judith Klausner
The Facts of Life by Judith Klausner
The Facts of Life (above) is made out of carefully arranged cicada and bee wings. Dead insects, beeswax, fingernail clippings, and disposable foods are vehicles for her explorations into the unloved and discarded ephemera of the world.
Her artist statement in particular discusses the double-edged sword of her interactions with insects: People repulsed by her use of discarded insect wings, and people concerned that she was killing insects for her art. These two vocal reactions reveal the ambiguity we have with the insect world: Human empathy spiraled with reactive repulsion.
