# Insect-Infested Art Artist Talia Greene Uses Flies to Alter 19th Century Photographs By Mary Van Puymbroeck | Published 2017-05-16 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/talia-greene References: [fubiz.net](http://www.fubiz.net/en/2017/05/15/troubling-photographs-covered-with-flies-2/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds) & [taliagreene](http://www.taliagreene.com/) In her series 'Coiffed: A Typology of Entropic Variations,' artist Talia Greene uses flies to alter 19th century photographs, making for [fascinating but disturbing works of art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/light-into-darkness). According to Greene, "the [swarming beards and hairstyles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/structural-botany) take our attempts to control our bodies to an absurd degree, with a playful exaggeration of the quotidian frustration of taming our hair." The contrast of seeing images of what was such a controlled culture being overwhelmed with insects makes for a compelling juxtaposition. Greene glues the flies directly onto the photographs in patterns that amplifies the idea of a lack of control. The series also highlights the invasive nature of colonialist ethos. By placing [portraits of Western settlers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hughmanity) and Orientalist postcards side-by-side and infesting both images with flies, Talia Greene is commenting on the invasive nature of what was perceived to be such a moral and controlled society. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 40% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Insect-altered Art:** Using insects to alter traditional art forms provides a disruptive innovation opportunity to create new and thought-provoking artworks. - **Exaggerated Control:** Exploring the concept of control and lack thereof through artistic exaggeration offers disruptive innovation opportunities in various industries such as psychology, fashion, and advertising. - **Postcolonial Commentary:** Using insects as a symbol of invasion and infestation in art allows for disruptive innovation opportunities in the fields of history, anthropology, and cultural studies. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Art:** The use of insects to alter traditional art forms presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the art industry to push boundaries and challenge traditional conventions. - **Psychology:** Exploring the concept of control and lack thereof through artistic exaggeration can lead to disruptive innovation opportunities in the field of psychology for studying human behavior and perception. - **Fashion:** The concept of exaggerated control in art can inspire disruptive innovation opportunities in the fashion industry to create avant-garde and unconventional designs that challenge societal norms and expectations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Insect-Inspired Bronze Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/insect-bronze-sculptures.md) - [Striking Urban Wildlife Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clare-allin.md) - [Fly-Attracting Seltzer Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/truly-hard-seltzer-ad.md) - [Bug-Inspired Jewelry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/murder-hornet-ring.md) - [Agriculturally Inspired Art Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/farming-photographs.md) - [Human Hair-Made Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/range-of-pots.md) - [Intricate Fiber Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/threadwork-women-redefining-fiber-arts.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Science-Backed Wooden Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/seed-stories.md)