Kim Farris-Manning was composer and choral director for Insect Worlds. They worked on composing open scores, rehearsing and recording with a quartet of singers to represent the younger voices, and a choir of 9 singers to represent the senior voices. Vocal works were recorded in July 2024 in Ottawa, ON.
This project explores insect perception and the intricate connections between humans and the world of insects. This project is rooted in the recognition of insects as the predominant life forms on Earth, constituting up to 90% of all animal species. Through the mediums of painting, sound, and costume/performance, “Insect Worlds” envisages a speculative future where the boundaries between human and non-human consciousness dissolve, compelling a society to reinvent itself. By adopting survival strategies from insects and imagining alternative modes of existence, Insect Worlds seeks to offer a perspective on social organization, language and consciousness beyond the confines of anthropocentrism and individualism.
This project is a collaboration between the Yack Lab (a research lab that studies animal sensory systems and communication, with a focus on insect bioacoustics) and sound artist Pierre-Luc Clement.
Collaborators: Rachel Gray, director Pierre-Luc Clement, sound artist Quartet: Manon McDonic, Katy Alambo, Jaime Sadgrove, Kyle Fraser Choristers: John Coleman, Ann Jackson, June Kaethler, Barbara Konst, Susan (Tudy) McLaine, Jim Walker, Stephanie Walker.