The Dependency Paradox centers on the queen of Polyergus mexicanus, an ant species that survives by overtaking and relying on the labor of another. Enlarged and framed like a specimen, the queen reveals a striking truth from the natural world: systems built on dominance can also become deeply dependent on what they exploit.

In the context of The Museum of Lost Evidence, this piece reflects on how power and vulnerability often coexist. The work invites viewers to consider the delicate, sometimes uneasy relationships that allow complex societies—human and otherwise—to function.

The full context of the series begins with The Broken Compass.