In early 2025, Bran Symondson unveiled his most ambitious and controversial work to date — The Colony, a living art installation that transformed London’s prestigious HOFA Gallery into a visceral, thought-provoking experience.

At the heart of the installation was a working colony of live leaf-cutting ants, moving through a network of transparent tubing from their nest to a decommissioned AK-47 sculpture, collaged entirely in real U.S. dollar bills. As the ants instinctively harvested leaves and carried them back to their nest, they became a haunting reflection of humanity itself — working tirelessly for money, blind to the destruction surrounding them.

A Living Metaphor for Modern Civilization

The Colony confronted audiences with a stark question:

Are we, like the ants, so consumed by the pursuit of wealth that we fail to see the chaos unfolding around us?

Through this dynamic and unsettling display, Symondson drew parallels between nature, capitalism, warfare, and survival. The AK-47 — long a symbol of violence and power — became a stage for the ants’ activity, representing how systems of labor and greed feed directly into conflict and collapse.

Bran’s integration of cryptocurrency symbols such as Bitcoin and Ethereum added another layer of meaning — a commentary on the shifting global economy, the rise of digital currencies, and the uncertain future of value and power in an increasingly virtual world.

Exhibition Details

Exhibit: The Colony: Marching for Money, Blind to Destruction
Venue: HOFA Gallery, Bruton Street, Mayfair, London
Dates: February 2025
Artist: Bran Symondson
Presented by: Art to Disarm

This immersive installation was hailed as one of the most daring and thought-provoking exhibitions ever staged in Mayfair, drawing art critics, collectors, and media from around the world. The Colony challenged traditional notions of what art can be — living, evolving, and unsettlingly reflective of the world we inhabit.