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SWARM, 2026
An inquiry into … what collectively moves us?
Whether responding to fire or ICE, rapid response networks operate on a type of intelligence that emerges through collective behavior. A swarm is made up of individuals with a shared instinct - responding and adapting to changing conditions - with no central authority.
[What moves us emotionally?] a discovery, a temporary experience, a new pathway for connection, an illusion that invites curiosity, a more than ordinary conversation.
[What moves us into action?] conversations and influence, an authority, a protective instinct, a single moment that shocks us out of complacency, a scar that requires networks of relational support to repair, a collective awareness that gradually unites.
Seed Bank Bugs are created with plants from the altered landscape. Learn more about Mary's work and the process at seedbankbugs.com.
Mary Sand is an interdisciplinary artist and botanical specialist from the Sacramento Delta. She works under the belief that art and design are powerful tools that can change the way we use resources, and how we respond to social and environmental challenges. Her work explores what unites us.
She founded the Red Barn Collective in 2023 - an art and barter collective located within the flea market - currently open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 9am-4pm.
Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, California, find us in the red barn.
@red.barn.collective @missmarysand