teardrops of Ra

Several works, including the 2nd century Artemis
of Ephesus statue features bees. During the
Renaissance in Europe, the honey bee was
transformed from a fertility symbol associated
with polytheism to become a Christian symbol of
eloquence. Famous examples of art featuring bees
include Venus With Cupid Stealing Honey by Lucas
Cranach the Elder (1472), The Miracle of the Bees
by Juan de Valdes Leal (1673), and the tomb of
Pope Urban VIII sculpted by Bernini between 1627
and 1647 (Wilson 2019:v).
The popularity of bees and honey with artists
has not diminished over time. In fact, the contrary
is true as artists become aware of the upsurge
in Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). The artist
and activist Joseph Beuys worked with bees and
honey from the 1950s. Beuys’s Honey Pump at the
workplace installation which pumped two tons of
honey and margarine for 100 days, was exhibited
at Documenta 6 in 1977 (https://www.tate.org.uk/
artworks/beuys).
12 13
Fig 9. KKirsty Swanepoel, Vestiges of the Storm. Detail (2021).
Fig 10. Relief from the Solar Temple of Nyuserra, Fifth Dynasty.