Cogitation 

Scott Fraser painted ‘Cogitation’ with oil on panel sometime after 1957. The image places a bee impaled on a pin between an oil can and a flower, an unusual juxtaposition that invites us to reflect on nature and industry. The bee, a vital component of our ecosystem, is callously pinned in place. The can of oil represents the industry that threatens bees with habitat destruction, pesticide use, and climate change. Here, the artist is using potent visual codes to comment on the consequences of unchecked industrial expansion and the urgent need for ecological awareness. To understand this work more fully, researchers might explore the history of environmental activism and the impact of industrial practices on biodiversity. By studying the social context in which it was created, we can more fully appreciate its meaning. Art is at its most pertinent when it acts as a mirror to reflect on our collective choices and to challenge existing social norms.