Be (2013) is a single-channel video depicting the artist covered in a colony of 15,000 bees while practicing Tai Chi. Tai Chi and bees share a dual nature: both hold the potential for harm, yet in peaceful states, they generate vitality within the body and the environment. Through controlled movement, Wright demonstrates the fragile balance between threat and calm.
In preparation for the performance, Wright undertook an extended period of Tai Chi and meditation training, including travel to India to study at an ashram. The work addresses environmental pressures on bee populations while asserting that perceived danger does not require aggression. More than ever, the performance reflects the possibility of remaining peaceful amid cycles of fear, conflict, and retaliation.
