Ant Float Dream Boat

Ant Float Dream Boat | “Ants Together, Ants Forever”

BMCM+AC {re}Happening 13 | Lake Eden | Black Mountain, NC  

5/3/2025

For our 11th {re}Happening, we paid homage to ants and how collectively and cooperatively they work together to create a phenomenon called the “ant raft”, allowing them to remain afloat for weeks, caring for each other,  until dry land is reached and their community can rebuild. 

Through explorations in innertubes (“inner tutus”) and pool noodles, we built an ANTigravitational miniature/giANT float on Lake Eden with wind enhanced visuals.  At sunset (8:19), an illuminated ant ballet was performed on the water, accompanied by music, projections, and synchronized movements that guided and invited the participant-observers on the shore to dream as ANTS TOGETHER, ANTS FOREVER. 

Ant Float Dream Boat draws inspiration from BMC's Build program, MTV's Beach House, surface tension, the choreography of Esther Williams and Busby Berkeley, “the cheerio effect”, pontoon boats, geodesic domes, eusociality, "Bug Mall", mermaid shows, marionettes, spinnakers, migration, the anti-architectural “inflatables” of Ant Farm, tractor square dancing, spring break, friendship,  and actual ants.

scored by XOR , choreo by A Clutch / LaurANT + KitFurrKANT, live projections by KD + AS feat animations by ExperimANTal Art Club, dance party  by DJ HyperVelvetANT! 

DocumANTry by Infinite Wow / MariANT, who also led us in a special "ANTimation" session of ExperimANTal Art Club (see ANTix vid below)!! 

Photos 1-4 courtesy of BMCM+AC/ Michael Oppenheim !