It began as a reflection on life, but has taken on a life of its own. Artist Claire Beynon talks to Bruce Munro about her collaborative global art project The Hum of the Parts.
Claire Beynon is buzzing back and forth across her art studio, a voluminous, rough timber-vaulted, naturally lit space built on to her beautifully restored Ravensbourne villa.
She hovers over her work bench, searching for a favourite among dozens of hexagonal pieces of heart-sized canvas embroidered with phrases and images.
"This is from a picture drawn by a boy in a Palestinian refugee camp,'' Beynon says, holding up a swatch.
"It says, 'My mum is crying and I am sad'.''
She returns to sample some more.
"Here's one from the corner of a blackboard notating black hole theory by Stephen Hawking and two of his colleagues.''
These are the parts of an as yet unfinished whole; the product of a personal process begun more than two years ago which will be taken to a new level of community collaboration, beginning today.
South Africa-born and educated, Beynon is an artist, writer and researcher who emigrated to Dunedin in 1994.
Her artwork has been exhibited in New Zealand, South Africa and the United States.
Two summers spent in the Antarctic, in 2005 and 2008, led to collaborations with scientists, artists and peace educators.
Work with US biologist Dr Sam Bowser led to an installation which is on permanent display in New York.
As an artist, Beynon usually works in pastel, oils and charcoal. But her response to world events saw her turning to a new medium and practice.
"With all the chaos and devastation going on on our planet, all the hot spots with warfare, societal breakdown everywhere, environmental threat ... like most people, I get a bit overwhelmed by it all at times,'' she explains.
"I thought, ‘What can I do to keep myself grounded?'. So, I came up with what was, and is, a daily practice; I create a honeycomb chamber each morning in response to what's happening in the world, and as a way to bring a sense of wonder, curiosity and gratitude back to my life.''
Started two and a-half years ago, each day's honeycomb chamber was painted on to a large canvas.
"If it was something wonderful, such as a scientific breakthrough ... or some remarkable activism, I would paint it into a chamber. Or if there was something devastating, I would paint that, too.
"For every dark event, I wanted to paint a light event to balance it out. I didn't want to ignore all the dark stuff . . . If we don't see it we can't deal with it.''
For Beynon, bees were the natural motif for her daily reflective practice.
"I come from a family of beekeepers, and I've kept a hive for the past two years.
"I love bees as a model for successful community ... Every bee has its task and operates within an organic system. I think we have a lot to learn from them.
"Not only that, they are beautiful and their architecture is astounding.''
A year ago, when planning to attend a conference in South Africa and wanting to have an art project to work on while away, Beynon made her honeycomb practice portable, creating individual hexagonal pieces of canvas that would fit in her hand luggage.
She also took along needle and thread with which to stitch words and images in response to world events.
"Any repetitive practice is very calming and grounding, so I really love it.''
People she met often asked what she was doing.
Intrigued, a number asked to join in; sending pictures or lines of verse for her to stitch or even stitching their own honeycomb chamber to be added to the growing pile.
Word about it spread.
Beynon now has contributions in a dozen languages from Europe and North America to Africa, Asia and Oceania.
"It is a peace-building project, creating community out of what is really a very simple exercise.''
The project is being documented online at www.manyasonemao.com.
Starting today, it takes another step forward, with a week-long public collaborative workshop and exhibition, "The Hum of the Parts: A global honeycomb''.
The event is in conjunction with the New Zealand International Science Festival.
Several pieces of art by Beynon, including her original honeycomb canvas painting, and two installations by Jen Smith will be exhibited.
The focus, however, is on inviting the public to help increase the mosaic honeycomb far beyond its present 300 individual chambers.
All the materials will be supplied, enabling people to "stitch together a cross-section of life as observed and experienced''.
Beynon hopes the project will continue to flourish.
"I'm a great believer in the power of simple, creative gesture. If everyone made something with care every day, we would live in a different world.''
The exhibition
"The Hum of the Parts: A global honeycomb'' is on in the Community Gallery, 20 Princes St, 11am to 3pm, from July 9 to Friday, July 15. Suitable for all ages.
