Franky Cruz
Dome Lab: Inside the chrysalis, a labyrinth, 2022
The Vivarium Meconium Dome Lab (VMDome Lab) is a smart, butterfly-rearing research center within a geodesic structure that connects art, science, and technology. The dome, created by Miami-based artist Franky Cruz, features a habitat of nectar plants to support native pollinators like the Gulf-fritillary, Zebra Longwing, Giant Swallowtail, and others.
Select butterfly larvae diligently raised by the artist within the dome will contribute to a process at the artist’s studio. There, the chrysalis are suspended in a grid over watercolor paper, and the meconium that is naturally secreted from the emerging butterflies splatters onto the paper, acting as a sustainable, natural pigment. Cruz is influenced by the architecture and philosophy of Buckminster Fuller, driven by a sense of efficiency and a keen understanding of nature’s limited resources, and drives the idea further to incorporate the small, intentional gestures that ultimately contribute to healthy ecosystems that support life.
Select butterfly larvae diligently raised by the artist within the dome will contribute to a process at the artist’s studio. There, the chrysalis are suspended in a grid over watercolor paper, and the meconium that is naturally secreted from the emerging butterflies splatters onto the paper, acting as a sustainable, natural pigment. Cruz is influenced by the architecture and philosophy of Buckminster Fuller, driven by a sense of efficiency and a keen understanding of nature’s limited resources, and drives the idea further to incorporate the small, intentional gestures that ultimately contribute to healthy ecosystems that support life.
Diana Larrea Photography
Diana Larrea Photography
Diana Larrea Photography
Diana Larrea Photography