Lurking Cicadas
A sculptural exploration of toxic tenancy
Currently On View
2025 Community ⇄ Members’ Show
November 22, 2025 — January 10, 2026
Krasl Art Center | St. Joseph, MI
707 Lake Boulevard
Materials
Brass, Copper, Silver, and mixed alloys. Rose gold bronze lung alveoli.
Containment
Encapsulated beneath an 25-inch glass cloche, preserving the toxic atmosphere.
Mechanism
Tube-fed carousel from a cigarette pack, fueling the slow consumption.
"Nature itself is the most patient of all things. It operates on timelines of extreme age, demonstrating a masterful creationism keen to the imagination's boundaries and an unerring ability to be on time."
The cicada burrows at the roots of a tree for seventeen years, feasting on its sap. Theirs is a true parasite-host relationship: a slow, methodical consumption where every small bite is an addition to the whole.
Cancer, too, can lurk patiently. Like the cicada's patient consumption, this damage most likely takes years. Slowly, one surrenders to the process, becoming hollowed out like the exoskeleton a cicada sheds.
This sculpture gives form to that toxic tenancy. The cicadas crawl over the form slowly consuming it, effective only when they have the smoke fuel for their pursuits. The entire work holds the "smoke" in a shape true to the encapsulation of lungs and its accompanied functionaries.
The Artist
Ryan Hafer
A sculptor holding a formal Bachelor of Fine Arts, creating bespoke vessels, trinkets, and memorable personalized gifts.