This recent bronze is taken from the complex, political and socially engaged work "C'est dans ma nature" ("It's in my nature") from 2001.
It is a long frieze that seems to be cut into 5 sessions, 5 scenes, 5 moments - like fragments of a story.
Reminiscent of the great historical friezes, this high relief in gilded bronze slowly reveals its purpose: a scene of conflict, encounter, recognition, reconciliation or resistance.
Johan Creten returns to the theme of insects, bees, wasps, etc... as a metaphor for the changing social organization.
The book "La Vie des Abeilles" by Maurice Maeterlinck or the "Bees" of the Barberini come to mind.
These reliefs are part of the long history of narrative sculptures such as the Tajan column, the Vendôme column or the pieces by Daumier, Rodin or Fontana.
The gilding is of a very high quality, and the finesse of the casting is exemplary.
Visually, the gilding makes it almost impossible to read the image - is this a metaphor for the impossible utopia?