Story

At night, a wide variety of moths take to the sky. The Columbian silk moth, Elsa sphinx and, of course, the Common luna all alight toward their beacon. Clouds make little difference. The moon's presence makes itself known via the earth's magnetic field. The journey has been made dangerous in recent years by the refuse known as "space-junk" that clutters the way. Numerous moths are killed before reaching their final destination. Little is known about the final moments of life. Telescopes have recorded the event but a handful of times, the nosedive into the waiting lunar cavity. Unfortunately, these occasions have failed to answer the question of whether there is some evolutionary purpose to the self-sacrifice, or if the moths are simply unwitting victims.

Imagination for Creation

The inspiration of this project comes from moths’ inherited ability of navigating in moonlight. Unfortunately, since artificial illuminants were invented this ability results in suicidal behaviors. I imagined the wax and wane of the moon is the digesting behavior of a single-cell life form which devours moths. I further transformed my imagination of Actias Luna being eaten by the moon with stories or events into four menus. When the spectators are appreciating this project, they are enjoying the food, from main courses to desserts, with their eyes.

Digital prints of Actias Luna>

The Specimen of Memory

I began this form of creation since the end of 2004. I called it "The Specimen of Memory".

The sources of these specimens came from my memory, I present them with sliced sections. They are sculptures with the form of books, each book is displayed on a bookstand, and each acrylic page is printed with graphics. The graphics are surreal images created by computer, printed on glass or acrylic plates, they look exactly like specimens. I am intrigued by this form because it is a readable space constructed by stacking up words. From different angles the audience find different texts. Thus different meanings are generated as one takes different angles.

The text written by David Knowles which are printed on the four sculptures:

1. Beverages

Milk (Fresh daily)
Peregrine Falcon
Blue Jay
Cockatiel

Blood
Chickadee 1977—well balanced, hearty.
North American Rooster 1985—a time honored favorite, served chilled.
Kingfisher 1990—oak barrel fermented, a classic.
Great Blue Heron 1992—smooth, graceful, versatile.
Caribbean Parrot 2000—bold fruit, distinctive berry finish.
Special Reserve
Dodo 1945—one of a dozen remaining bottles in the world. Price includes a single preserved feather.

2. Ornithological Tasting Menu

Winged Tasting Menu

2
Barbequed Hummingbird Ribs with Honey-Rosemary Glaze. The chef recommends Violin and Piccolo accompaniment, available an extra charge.

8
California Condor Wings—The planet's largest, lightly breaded and served with garlic aioli. Warning: eating this dish has been known to induce the sensation of flight for several hours afterward.

14
Chicken Feet Vindaloo—Slow roasted over hot coals, the hen's once-tough talons are brushed with balsamic reduction, caramelized, and adorned with a fiery Southwest Indian green curry.

18
Birdsong Intermezzo—To cleanse the palate, a sampling of Whip-poor-will birdsong lightly sprinkled over an outstretched tongue.

24
Trio of Nocturnal Hunters—Roast Breast of Spotted Owl, Grilled Thigh of the White-throated Nightjar, and Slow-Cured Neck of Common Loon (Lune) arranged on the platter an attack formation, each chasing the other in an endless predatory spiral.

27
Pasta Icarus—Earth's highest-flying bird, the Rupell's Vulture, sautéed with white wine and served over linguine.

44
Flightless Cassoulet—A traditional French stew with Penguin and Ostrich. Dining note: due to possible metabolic imbalances, this menu item may not be ordered in conjunction with either the Pasta Icarus or the California Condor Wings.

Dessert

Jordanian Bird's Nest—Recovered from the red cliffs at Petra, these delicate homes of the Arabian Swallow are candied with honey and powdered sugar, and topped with crushed pistachio. Legendary for it curative and nutritional properties, a dipping sauce of Swallow saliva is prepared tableside.

3. Main Course

Moon is my guidance, my destiny and my last resting place.

I dream I fly in the pitch black sky, attract to the only light and make it my last resting place.

The metamorphosis of the guidance, the destiny and the grave.

The theory of relativity describes the relative motion of the prey and predator.

One dream takes hold in this darkest slice of night—To alight in the mouth of the moon.

 

4. Desert (Fortune Cookie)

At night, the smaller migratory birds take to the sky. The sparrows and warblers and finches and thrushes alight toward their beacon. Clouds make little difference. The moon’s presence makes itself known in the magnetic field. The journey has been made dangerous in recent years by the refuse known as “space-junk” that clutters the way. Numerous birds are killed before reaching their final destination. Little is known about the final moments of life. Telescopes have recorded the event but a handful of times, the nosedive into the waiting lunar cavity. Unfortunately, these occasions have failed to answer the question of whether there is some evolutionary purpose to the bird self-sacrifice, or if they are simply unwitting victims.