Myrmecoportraiture

About The Exhibit:
I wanted to create a stunning exhibition that aims to cultivate interest and intrigue surrounding ants. The work would spark passion and curiosity for ants and encourage people to support their study. I would like to create a body of work that allows people to view and enjoy ants and understand how they reflect the creativity of God. From a theological standpoint, ants are valued for representing wisdom, but they also speak to God’s incredible creativity (cf. Psalm  104).

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Foreword
All glory to Yeshua Messiah, for by whom and in whom all things came to be. He was the arbiter and the orchestrator of all things, along with the Father and Ruach Elohim. May we reflect his great creativity and compassion, as we discover that he was the crux of the whole world. May you know his love for you. As he hung there, breathing his last, his death paid once, for all time, for all who believe and are counted righteous in the Son. Then he rose again! Proving that all glory is due to Him and that the Son has power over life and death. For this reason, we know what we say is true, and we know that he is king over all creation.

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It is also for this reason that there is no pursuit nobler than to study the workings of God, not merely to explain them but also so you may know him and the incredible complexity of his vast creation. Do we not see through the diversity of ants such creativity in not only form but also behavior? Is it not visible from Colobopsis, Malagidris, Crematogaster, or any foraging worker that the one who is willing to sacrifice for the Kingdom shall make the greatest impact? Is it not evident through Pogonomyrmex or Messor that even his creation is imbued with the wisdom of the creator? Can we not see with their seeds that God has designated a role for each one?

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About the Artist

Josiah Kilburn is an entomologist, photographer, and writer who is passionate about theology and the events and literature surrounding the life of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) Ben-Elohim. He studies the ants of Kentucky, where he currently supervises the Kentucky Ant Project, which is an effort to study and catalog the ant species found in the state of Kentucky. Josiah has also completed and participated in the 2023 Ant Course, organized by the California Academy of Sciences and the Ants of the World Project. He has received various awards and recognition for his photographic work and spends much of his time photographing ants and their landscapes, especially during the summer months. Josiah has had photographs featured in the 2023 World of Insects Calendar, had several images shortlisted in the 2023 Buglife Bug Photography awards, and also had works shortlisted in the Young Amateur Photographer of the Year award. In addition to these things, Josiah is passionate about the Christian scriptures, world religions, and understanding the expression of faith in different cultures. He leads a bible study group on his campus and participates in young adults' ministry at his home in Colorado when he returns for the breaks.