The sound of summer, the sound of the cicada or the chicharra as they are called here in Argentina. They are among the loudest of all insects. So much so that one can almost not have a conversation once the sun goes down and they start their mating call. A cicada spends the first part of its life underground feeding off of tree roots. Depending on the type of cicada this can be anywhere between 2 and 17 years! They then emerge from the ground and begin a short lived mating period in comparison to their subterranean stage.

The arrangements I created are comprised of wings gathered from dead cicadas. The wings are like transparent tissue paper perfectly partitioned creating an almost stained glass effect! It’s no wonder these almost fantastical insects have shown up in literature since the works of Homer’s Illiad as well as in folklore and mythologies from around the world. In Chinese tradition they symbolize immortality and rebirth. Much respect for nature’s fine art.