Creayfishtivity (EN)

Welcome to Creayfishtivity, an ongoing artistic research to approach American crayfish through less conventional lenses.
Zoë and Pan attempt to challenge a commonly held view within the field of ecology; that to mitigate the degradation of our local ecosystems, invasive species must be exterminated. Subverting their presumed destructivity and maliciousness as an invasive pest, they explore the creative, regenerative potential of American crayfish. They invite them to their artistic space and through the creative exchange with these creatures, an interspecies collaboration is established to speculate on regenerative futures of American crayfish in thriving Dutch ecosystems. In doing so, Zoë and Pan plead for inquiry of American crayfish beyond their status as invasives, and hope to bring understudied questions to the table as relevant topics of ecological research.

Zoë Klein studied Biology at Utrecht University and after participating in the Arts & Ecology minor, she transferred to HKU to study Illustration. From her encounters with American crayfish as a field ecologist with the protocol to kill them, Kreeftenleed emerged: a work exploring ethical questions surrounding invasive species.
Pan Vanitcharoenthum graduated from his MA Fine Art at HKU with his work Regenerative Hunting, where he searched for a more ecological lifestyle through the practice of hunting invasive species for food. Through this research, he found that eliminating invasive species didn’t offer a long term regenerative solution.
Both sharing their regrets and reflections on their previous works on American Crayfish, they decided to join forces.

This event took place during the festival in September 2025.