aricoco is interested in how human communities might form and thrive without centralized leadership and the privilege of power. She hand-sews and weaves protective garments for the female body in imaginary matriarchal communities that are characterized by cooperative brood care and division of labor. Her costumes and family “crests” reference traditional Japanese kimono and samurai fashion, and are inspired by the altruistic characteristics of eusocial insects like ants, where a fertile Queen is dependent on sterile Workers for her existence while the colony depends on her for its collective reproduction. 

Her works at the Pearl River Mart Gallery

These lifesize uniforms are part of her "Division of Labor" series. They're tailored to fit the needs and roles of insect-human hybrid colony members whose specialized tasks are divided according to Division of Labor, a phenomenon characterized by the interaction of self-organization, whereby individual workers perform different tasks within a colony to ensure the survival of the entire colony.

Each worker is specialized in a separate task in parallel to each other, thus leading to greater productivity. While some workers tend to the brood and queen, others forage or defend the nest. This phenomenon makes optimal model systems for us to understand how social life is coordinated at different levels.

These crest pieces are part of her "Carnivorous Crests" series:

Her works at Chelsea Market

Learn more about the artist:

• Website
• Instagram

More exhibition information:

• Main exhibition page
• Map of Chelsea Market portion