Creative: Ode to Pollinators
Andrea Elena Noriega
Ode to Pollinators
Sometimes being still is the best way to see not only the world around us, but also our own selves. Focusing on what is small can make us feel big, dominant, and powerful. Yet it can also bring us into a new sense of appreciation for the ways in which size matters less than intention does. Small can be powerful too. In many ways, this is denied by the language we use, which often conflates large, tall, and massive with grand, beautiful, and strong. At the same time, small things—whether microbial or insectile—often become associated with danger, fear, and risk.
In the video below, artist Andrea Elena Noriega reflects on her first encounter with a small-but-not-risky creature, the humble and mighty bumblebee. Learning to respect and value what is tiny, and to come into a more equitable relationship with it, often means taking the time to observe and remain, rather than reacting and running away.
