The Mealworm Experience
The Mealworm Experience is a workshop and immersive experience based on the BoeteBurger Project. This speculative scenario explores the concept of a hamburger made from mealworms that have been fed a diet of polystyrene. The idea invites you to imagine—eating your own waste.
The experience begins with a presentation about the project, where I share my journey working with living organisms and the questions that have emerged from it. After the presentation, I hold a workshop where I invite the audience to engage more deeply with the subject matter.
Getting to know the mealworm and observing how it consumes a harmful material like styrofoam is a fascinating experience that I want to share. However, this process takes time. Therefore, during the workshop, participants are introduced to the mealworms, and each receives a jar with worms to take home. Over the course of weeks, they can observe how the mealworms break down the polystyrene foam.
Type: Workshop, experience
Partners: Kunst & Cultuur Drenthe, Club Cele
The workshop is conducted with a group of participants, divided across one or more tables. These tables are set up as if for a dinner, but with tools instead of cutlery. Styrofoam is spread across the table, and an installation features mealworms that have been consuming styrofoam for some time. After the presentation, about a kilogram of mealworms is poured onto the table, giving participants the chance to examine the worms up close. With the provided tools, they can then design and build their own "styrofoam palace," which they place in a pot—similar to a ship in a bottle. Participants also receive a handful of mealworms, some extra food, and a sealed pot to take home, allowing them to watch the mealworms continue their work over time.
The goal of the workshop is to create an interactive experience that invites participants to connect with another life form in a meaningful way. Through this, I aim to share my experiences with the project, encouraging participants to reflect on sustainability, our relationship with nature, and our connection to food.
