TURTLE ANT

A leather sculpture of a Cephalotes setulifor, or turtle ant by contemporary Japanese leather artist Ko Kono. The turtle ant nests in tree cavities, and has a dedicated caste of ant which used its head to block the entrances to the nest in the tree branch. Its head having evolved into a manhole cover like door. Ko Kono was born in Uwajima city, Aichi Province, Japan in 1956. He attended Kyoto Saga University of Arts and currently works near Kyoto. 
2020
10” long x 8" wide