consume repeat #2 is one in a series of short videos exploring the notion of repetition through the isolation of specific gestures. The series focuses on animal interactions with their environments, specifically involving activities surrounding consumption.

In consume repeat #2, the subtle violence of the exchange between the Monarch Butterflies is contrasted with the slightly humorous frailty of their bodies. Organic gestures are mechanized through the editing process, and the movements speak to habit, compulsion, obsession, and absurdity.

The metaphor of the butterfly effect – the notion that the miniscule flapping of the wings of a butterfly can dramatically affect the outcome of events in a larger system, such as weather - emphasizes the interconnectivity of all entities and actions. When seen through the lens of isolated exchanges between insect bodies, this reveals the potential impacts of small violences, and the larger effects they can have.

The focus on consumption in the consume repeat series is manifold. Consumption is typically perceived as a banal activity, as merely a survival trait, yet the rituals surrounding this daily need to intake nutrients for survival is a shared, cross-species necessity. The basic survival activities depicted in consume repeat #2 seeks to present and reflect on the day-to-day struggle for survival, even within a hyper-aestheticized and futuristic environment.