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CULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY is the study of insects' impacts on human culture.
"Cultural entomology studies the reasons, beliefs, and symbolism behind the inclusion
of insects within all facets of the humanities."-Dexter Sear (Cultural Entomology Digest, 1993)
Cultural entomology is "the branch of investigation that addresses the influence of insects (and other terrestrial Arthropoda, including arachnids, myriapods, etc) in literature, language, music, the arts, interpretive history, religion, and recreation."-Charles Hogue (CE Digest, 1993) Humans have included insects in art for millenia, either symbolically, literally or physically (insect products or bodies as art media). The practice of incorporating insects in art is one of my cultural entomology interests. Klein, B.A. 2007. Insects and Humans: a relationship recorded in visual art. In: Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships. Bekoff, M., ed. Greenwood Publ., Portsmouth, NH. [pdf, html (no images)] Klein, B.A. 2005. Experimental Art: Esthetics uncovered in the science of entomology. Entomological Society of America meetings. (abstract) It's art if it's not anything else...unless of course it's a bicycle wheel or a urinal."       -Arnold Klein Klein, B.A. 2003. Par for the palette: Insects and arachnids as art media. In: Insects in Oral Literature and Traditions. Motte-Florac, E. and J. M. C. Thomas, eds. Peeters, Paris. [pdf, html (no images)] Klein, B.A. 2003. Fabricating Insects: The unnatural history of insects on display. Entomological Society of America meetings. (abstract) [pdf] |