In BEE AGENCY (2008 – ongoing), Maes calls for us to see the honeybee as a free species again. The installation shows work from her open research and talks about the effects of domestication on bees. The pressure humans put on bees causes them stress and weakens their immune system, right at the time when invasive non-native species such as the Varroa mite and Asian hornet are threatening their existence. Bees are essential for the pollination of the fruit and vegetables that feed us. In BEE AGENCY, Maes advocates restoring the bees’ autonomy and cultivating a form of collaboration with these intelligent insects.
