Tan Zi Hao's photographic project examines household casebearer moths as cohabitants in the Anthropocene

Tan Zi Hao's project uses macro photography to document the intricate larval cases of household casebearer moths, challenging anthropocentric perspectives on domestic pests. Published in ARTMargins Volume 12, Issue 3 (pages 76-88) on October 1, 2023, the work reveals how these creatures construct spindle-shaped dwellings from household dust containing textile fibers and insect remains. Thriving in tropical domestic environments, these moths are typically viewed as nuisances rather than cohabitants. The photography invites attention to material and ecological relationships displayed in their creations. Anthropocentrism has created an imbalance where human knowledge focuses on damage rather than understanding their lives. The home becomes a wilderness as casebearers rebuild from human domestic debris. This publication is available through MIT Press with subscription access. The project reframes domestic spaces as sites of interspecies entanglement.