Collective Hive by the local duo Lisa Morales and Stacy Gressell was designed as an amalgamation of “found object” bees ranging in size from 12” to 4’, each with plexiglass wings. A number of different pieces of building-specific iconography, including maps of Houston, construction blueprints of the Ion, and photographs of the old Sears building, are attached to the wings of the bees.
Each bee’s body is created from recycled and repurposed materials, including keys, typewriter parts, old instruments, golf tees, clock parts, circuit boards, toy cars, and other trinkets. Materials for the bees’ bodies were accumulated from a “junk drawer” drive that enlisted the broader Ion community to donate old odds and ends, connecting Morales’s and Gressell’s artistic process with the community. Inside the window display, the found object bees are affixed to structures that emulate a close-up view of a beehive.
The Eye On Art program at the Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, are an adaptive reuse of the beloved Sears building on which Ion was built. The display windows are a unique opportunity to reimagine Sears' store windows and build on the collective memory of the space’s past, present, and future. Strategically placed, as the entry points and eyes of the building, the two highly visible display windows facing Fannin and Main Streets serve as beacons to draw the community in. The art displays are a visual expression of the intersection of art and innovation and are a reflection of Ion and Ion District’s effort to support local talent.
Artist: Lisa Morales and Stacy Gressell
Location: Ion Houston
Date: 2022 - 2023
Type: Site-Specific Temporary Art Installation
Role: Public Art Curator at Ion District
Photos and Video by Marc Furi Creative.