“The small size of insects prevents us, to some extent, from fully appreciating the astonishing nature of their construction. The male Chalcosoma, with its polished, bronzed chainmail and large complex horns, if brought to the size of a horse or even just a dog, would certainly be one of the most remarkable animals in the world.” — Charles Darwin, 1871
Giant insects invade the museum and the conservatory
The collective Tout reste à faire breathes new life into musical instruments by inventing animated and sound-producing creatures inspired by arthropods. Disused instruments are carefully dismantled, reassembled, and precisely reconfigured into moving forms. Micro-movements, vibrations, undulations… an entirely new bestiary comes to life before our eyes.
The insect world is also a sonic world; here, each specimen is given its own musical score. Its song, triggered by the intrusion of visitors into its space, contributes to the unsettling strangeness of the encounter.
Three of these creatures will be presented in the graphic arts room, surrounded by insect and arthropod drawings by Jean-Baptiste Lesueur, as well as entomological specimens from the Museum’s collections. Two giant insects, accompanied by the game Saut de puce, will be installed in the conservatory hall.
