The installation is called 'The Harbingers'. It is a flock of over 60 Sparrows cut from Geological maps of the UK.
Sparrows are generally seen as pests and their numbers have declined rapidly. They used to be a common site in London, but now are very rare.
I love them, they are such feisty birds. They really punch above their weight, taking on much bigger birds in the fight for food and are very cheeky.
They are also very beautiful, their markings are very beautiful.
I cut each bird by hand from old geological maps. The colours on the maps are amazing. I wanted highlight the beauty of the sparrows and hope that I can go some way to rehabilitate them and encourage people to see them in a different light.
your art is stunning!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing work. I will have to see this exhibition!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the show! I love how each bird's coloring relates to it in some beautiful way. They're so beautiful and delicate. We used to have european starlings all over san francisco, they're all gone this year. Not sure what happened.
ReplyDeletethanks so much for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteLOVE! LOVE! LOVE!! So smart and wonderful - the possibilities are endless!! When I was in University studying Urban Planning we did a lot of map reading. I always loved working with the various maps.
ReplyDeleteTo better understand an environmental issue, I once did a project where I cut out maps along the topo lines, pasted them on foam board, and then layered them together to create a 3-dimensional model of an area. (Mind you, this was in 1990 - way before Google Maps and computer 'fly over' simulations)
Thanks for your comments, its always good to hear other people are as obsessed by maps as me!
Delete