Season in Hell

2010-ongoing

Since the beginning of art, avian species have captured the human imagination with visions of flight and aspirations of freedom. Yet, what does it mean when an individual bird’s gift of flight is taken away or does not develop because of untimely death? This series of works portrays such beings, those who were mechanically altered in-utero to prohibit wing (“limb”) development through laboratory experimentation. Additionally the series pictures young birds that were found dead from their wild nests for unknown reasons.

As with the global fish species, birds are suffering unprecedented declines, especially migratory species such as many songbirds. In New York City alone, over 300 species of birds migrate through each year. Many are disoriented by illuminated structures and mirrored glass on buildings. Unfortunately, thousands of these birds become, exhausted, injured or are killed trying to find shelter and food. As Rachel Carlson predicted long ago, spring has grown increasingly quiet. Through a collaboration with the Parisian poet KuyDelair, the collective titles of the works form a single poem entitled “Deadly Born Cry”.