Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Ants Eating Happy Meals Is Art
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Aug 24, 2010
Modified Aug 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Aug 24, 2010
Modified Aug 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Have you ever had a hoard of ants try to devour your picnic? Want to watch the spectacle behind plexiglass? Well, Brooklyn artist Elizabeth Demaray is about to make your dreams come true. For a month at Exit Art on 10th Avenue, Demaray has been feeding 500 Pogonomyrmex badius ants nothing but McDonald's happy meals, toys and all, for her “Corpor Esurit, or we all deserve a break today" exhibit. But entomologists are puzzled by, of all things, her choice of ants.
“They might enjoy the sesame seeds on the buns, but that would be about it," said Dr. Colin S. Brent. The Florida harvester ants are seed harvesters, and don't often impose on humans for their food. And somebody get PETA on the case, because apparently many of the ants seemed confused without the presence of a queen and brood, and a lot of them were dead, presumably from a lack of natural diet options. The surviving ants have adapted by eating the meat out of chicken nuggets.
Tagged
ants
art
exit art
happy meal
mcdonald's
Jaya Saxena
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .