Getting to know the artist
Belén Mena

Born in Quito, Ecuador in February 1972. Grew up outside the city in the countryside, surrounded by nature, and insects. Developed love of nature at a very young age.

"Lots of my friends and family thought I was crazy when I started doing the research... I used to drive 1.5 hours away from the city at 9 o’clock at night.  I’d find myself alone in a small gas station in the middle of nowhere taking photos until 3am."

"After I took the photos I would edit all the photographic material – between two and three hundred photos per session.  I would then choose the sharpest images to generate the artwork.  It took me at least a whole working day for each moth."

"The entire process lasted about 5 years"

"What inspired me was that the wonderful designs of nature are perfectly composed and combined in colors and forms."