Thought provoking edutainment
Who’s the Pest was a month long series created by Bridget Zaidee Nicholls of illuminating edutainment symposium that explored our complex, symbiotic relationship with insects.
A series of debates, installations, walks and workshops took place over one month, specifically cultivated to challenge our perceptions of life alongside arthropods. Participants were invited to view existence from both sides of the undergrowth. There were talks such as Insects Vs Humans and the Secret Insects of Bloomsbury, an excursion with Dr James Logan, inviting visitors on a journey to unearth indigenous dwellers and giving unique insight into ‘the macabre entomological collections’ of the Grant Museum. It also included an award winning game under the same name.
Sustainable food source
At the heart of the showcase was the very serious issue of sustainable livestock. With mini multi-legged animals providing low-fat, high-protein nutrition to 80% of the world’s population, the solution to the impending global food crisis could be right under our feet. Therefore focus is heavily shifted towards the culinary culture of bug consumption, with Susana Soares’ installation Insects au Gratin, while inquisitive foodies could (intentionally) ingest insects at Exploring the Deliciousness of Insects, in an extraordinary opportunity to sample buggy dishes executed by the experimental Nordic Food Lab, a body for culinary research established by the founders of Noma.
Computer game
Who’s The Pest? even inspired a computer game, developed by Pestival and Wellcome Collection in 2013. The game allows the viewer to see insect activity from both the human and insect perspective, aiming to encourage players to take a fresh look at the creatures we commonly think of as ‘pests’. In April 2013 the game was hailed ‘App of the Day’. It was the Wellcome Collection’s biggest game project to date, and their first venture into multiple platforms: Who’s the Pest? was available to play both on the web and in the Apple app store. Find out more and how the game was developed via the Wellcome Collection’s Who’s The Pest game Tumblr.
The full programme can be accessed via The Wellcome Collection’s archives.
