Infestation / Obliteration: An Insect Invasion Salon with Malic Amalya

Insects pollinate flowers, infest homes, destroy crops, aid in the decomposition of the dead, sting and bite our skin, and are thought to bring luck or hardship. We swat them away, catch them in jars, spray them with poison, farm them for their byproducts and nutritional properties, and transport them across the country for agricultural production. Some insects provoke fear or disgust, while others elicit adoration and wonder, most, however, go unnoticed.

This program focuses on the insect body as interpreted by artists, as well as the personal and cultural values projected onto insects (and then projected onto the screen). Canyon filmmakers include Charlotte Pryce, Takahiko Iimura, Robert Todd, Julie Murray, Anna Geyer, and Stan Brakage. Bay Area film and video maker, Malic Amalya, will screen his 35mm slide collage FlyHole (2017), about a fly who transitions into a man to cruise gay bars, and four video essays from his series, Detours & Fences (2012-2015).

Flies, gnats, moths, caterpillars, ladybugs, cicadas, ants, and bees all make appearances.