Henrik Håkansson's Moth Experiment Becomes Double Video Installation in Turin

Swedish artist Henrik Håkansson (born 1968 in Helsingborg, based between Sweden and Germany) presents a new double video installation at Galleria Franco Noero in Turin. The work originated from a year-long research residency in Taiwan, where Håkansson collaborated with entomologist Hsu Huan Chih at the Low Altitude Experimental Station of the Endemic Species Research Institute. Together they built a structure with a white sheet and a mercury vapor lamp to attract moths for study. Håkansson filmed from two perspectives: one camera captured moths swarming the light, the other recorded their shadows on the sheet, creating a shadow play effect. The installation includes the original experimental structure and both videos, now displayed on the gallery floor, accompanied by an audio track derived from bat echolocation frequencies transposed into human-audible sounds. This work continues Håkansson's ongoing investigation into the relationship between humans, animals, insects, and plants, blending exploration with biology. The exhibition opened in December 2019.