Planet of the Apiairies
An artist collective exploring the intersections of nature, symbolism, and lived experience.
Based out of Stratford/Kitchener Ontario
Our first installation:
Wayfinding
“At its heart, Wayfinding is about metamorphosis. Like the moth and the moon, we don’t evolve by avoiding darkness; we are forever transformed by how we move through it”
Installation Description
At the centre of Wayfinding are two celestial companions — a wooden moth and its luminous moon.
The moth rests on a wooden base, its body capable of slowly turning (270°) and tilting (45°) in graceful arcs, as though searching for its guiding light.
The moon, faceted with ninety-two geometric cells, glows softly in response to touch. Eighty of these can be awakened by the audience, each one holding light, sound, and motion within its surface.
Across its shifting states of light and sound, the moon is never alone. The moth and moon move in quiet conversation — their gestures and glows responding to one another in subtle, instinctive ways. The moth senses the moon’s changes and answers in kind, turning toward its light, mirroring its colour, or pausing in stillness as the glow fades. In every mode, the two remain in conversation: the moth mirroring the moon’s final flicker of light, adjusting its gaze, or subtly changing its colour to echo the glow that calls to it.
Through touch alone, visitors shift between these cycles of play and expression — changing colours, pressing to reveal hidden hues, creating music, guiding the moth’s movement, or watching as the pair drift together through patterns of light and stillness.
Like its namesake, Wayfinding is both instrument and compass — a quiet dialogue between seeker and guide, between human gesture and the ancient rhythm of moth and moon.
Appearing as part of
Lights on stratford
wayfinding Location
Destination Stratford Offices
47 Downie Street, Downtown Stratford
Hours
Thursday - Sunday
5PM–10PM
Free to the Public
artist
statement
Wayfinding is an immersive installation about moving through darkness—not as something to fear, but as an opportunity for reflection. Inspired by the quiet lives of moths, and the power of the moon, it reflects on the ways we grow and change.
Moths aren’t simply drawn to light; they’re guided by it. They evolved to navigate by the moon, keeping its glow over their backs to stay oriented in the dark. Artificial lights disrupt this ancient instinct, pulling them off course. Yet the moon remains their compass.
That quiet persistence—the instinct to trust, adapt, and continue—mirrors the moon’s own cycle of renewal, and the resilience found in those who navigate profound change, illness, and disability.
Together, the moth and the moon are symbols of intuition, transformation, and renewal—one a seeker, the other a steady guide. Across spiritual traditions—from astrology to tarot—they appear as companions in the journey through darkness and into rebirth.
At its heart, Wayfinding is about metamorphosis. Like the moth and the moon, we don’t evolve by avoiding darkness; we are forever transformed by how we move through it.
This installation brings that journey to life through light, motion, and material. It recreates the feeling of navigating by the light of the moon, just like the moth evolved to do.
Created by Planet of the Apiaries, an artist collective exploring the intersections of nature, symbolism, and lived experience, Wayfinding invites a deeper kinship with the humble moth, the moon, and the world around you.
How does the installation work?
There are two elements to the installation. The moth, and the moon. The moon is the element that you get to interact with. Each of the 92 faces of the moon are touch surfaces. Simply press one (press anywhere, but the centre works best) to see what it does.
There are 6 Phases (aka modes) of the moon. Below is a list of all 6 phases and a brief description of what they all do.
Use the switch in the middle pentagon to switch between them.
Explore how light, sound, and movement connect.
Play light as sound: drums, bass, keys, and lead in the Lydian scale
Follow the moon’s pattern in a memory game of light
Tap to light a cell; each press cycles through six colours.
Use glowing arrows to tilt or rotate the moth
Press gently or firmly to sweep through the colour wheel
After two minutes, the moon slowly turns and the moth follows its glow
wayfinding
accessibility
PLANET OF THE APIARIES strives to make all of our installations as accessible as possible.
If you have any requests/ideas for how Wayfinding could be more accessible, please feel free to email us at planetoftheapiaries@gmail.com
Handheld Touch Pad
This handheld touch pad that operates as a mirror of a section of the moon. Simply touch one of the cells on the pad to see the corresponding cell light up on the moon.
bluetooth headphones
Wireless headphones will be available for individuals who need extra assistance in hearing the sounds being played by the moon.
braille signage
The artist statement, phases of the moon instructional guide, the artist bios, and this accessibility poster are being translated into braille and will be available during the festival.
audio recordings
The artist statement, phases of the moon instructional guide, the artist bios, and this accessibility poster will also be recorded as an audio guide. A QR code will be available near the installation to access the audio files.
(The image above is a sample QR Code and not the actual QR Code. This code will take you to Wikipedia.)
Planet of the Apiaries is an artist collective exploring the intersections of nature, symbolism, and lived experience.
Planet of the Apiaries operates out Kwartzlab, a makerspace located in Kitchener Ontario.
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Josh Bean
ARTIST
Planet of the Apiaries was founded by Stratford-based artist Josh Bean, whose work explores the deep interconnections between nature and human experience. Fascinated by the beauty and strangeness of the natural world, his art invites viewers to rediscover wonder and empathy for the creatures and ecosystems that surround us.
Josh believes that connection is the first step toward conservation. Through immersive, symbolic installations, Planet of the Apiaries draws people in with beauty and curiosity—creating space for reflection on our shared responsibility to the environment.
After years of living with a disabling chronic illness, Bean’s perspective deepened toward themes of adaptation and rebirth. Wayfinding emerges from this journey, offering both a personal and universal meditation on what it means to find direction in the dark.
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Scott Calway
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Scott Calway doesn’t usually think of himself as an artist, but he loves collaborating on creative projects and solving interesting problems.
Trained in mechatronics engineering, Scott has spent the past sixteen years working on hands-on, community-focused projects. Much of that time has been devoted to bicycle repair and education initiatives, and more recently, he has become an active member of the makerspace Kwartzlab.
By day/might, Scott is the production manager at Worth Mending, where he designs and builds darning looms and other upcycled products with his partner, selling them around the world.
His involvement in Wayfinding focused primarily on mechanical design, but also included assembly, programming, and woodworking.
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Garnet Koebel
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Garnet's interest in electronics dates back to his early childhood when he first learned to program computers. Since then he's been dedicated to honing his craft and continuously looking for ways to use his skill set for the benefit of the local community.
He believes in striving for common ground in all things no matter how long the journey takes.
Garnet joined Planet of the Apiaries when it became clear that the unique vision for Wayfinding called for an equally unique control system.
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Michael Gardi
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Theo Blenkie
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Brad S
Machining
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Monica Tong
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Max Moncuso
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Atticus Brown
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Adrian Price-Roberts
