THE COLONY

A living, breathing artwork that blurs the boundaries between nature and control, The Colony is one of Bran Symondson’s most provocative installations to date. At its core lies a functioning ant colony, meticulously housed within a sculptural frame—part terrarium, part socio-political metaphor.

As the ants move through carefully constructed environments made from currency, ammunition casings, and military-grade materials, The Colony becomes a haunting allegory for obedience, survival, and the systems we inhabit. Each path carved by the ants mirrors the unseen infrastructures of society—governance, hierarchy, and economic exploitation—raising bold questions about the human condition.

Simultaneously captivating and unsettling, The Colony invites viewers to observe not just the ants, but themselves—trapped in routines, shaped by external forces, and endlessly marching toward unseen goals. The piece forces us to consider: Who controls the colony? And are we really free?

Live, evolving, and impossible to replicate, The Colony is both a spectacle and a slow-burning critique—solidifying Symondson’s reputation for transforming warfare and nature into raw, unfiltered truth.