A collection of striking bird portraits from Claire Rosen’s series, Birds of a Feather, a work of appreciation for feathered creatures and those that work to protect them. The photographic work pairs live birds with complementary wallpaper and fabric, creating a captivating visual experience highlighting the individuality of each creature.

SPECIAL THANKS

The National Aviary and Molly Toth, Elmwood Park Zoo and Laura Soder, Mike Dupuy, Eagle Encounters and Hank and Tracy Chalmers, Chantal de Lange, Royal Shaheen Falconry and Peter Henry Bergh, Erin Human, Gulf Photo Plus, Holly Tatreau, Kai Pedersen, Tracy Pedersen, Dolly Rosen, Fujifilm, Bec Manson and Lee Faircloth of The Post Office, Bob Tursack, Peter Philbin, and team at Brilliant Graphics, Beth Taubner of Mercury Lab, Caleb Cain Marcus of Luminosity Lab, Edward Rosen, Lillie Rosen, Bill Schumacher, Brendan O’Connor, Jonathan Hayes, Wesley Noonan Sessa, Margaux Kent, and Emma Mierop.

ARTWORK FEATURED IN EXHIBIT

ARTIST STATEMENT

Birds have long captured the human imagination, immortalized in cave drawings dating back 40,000 years. The wonder of birds in flight, their intricate plumage, and simple symphonic songs are universally appreciated. The human desire to be surrounded by images of birds and nature has been reflected in household ornamentation throughout time and across civilizations.

The walls of the imperial villas of Ancient Rome were adorned with frescoes detailing rich flora and fauna. During the Renaissance, Rafael reinvented this ancient style through his ‘grotesques’, paintings which depicted birds, fruits, and plant life. In 19th century Britain, William Morris designed elaborately ornamented wallpaper featuring wild birds and vegetation.

Birds of a Feather seeks to present an additional perspective on this tradition with portraits of birds photographed against complementary, historically inspired wallpaper and textiles. The series originated from a fascination with the beauty of parrots and song birds. The birds mirror the careful, self-conscious poses of humans in unexpected ways, and reveal their unique and intriguing personalities. As I have come to better appreciate our complicated, and not entirely benign, relationship with birds (and the natural world in general), I have come to see that our awe and admiration is often accompanied by a self centered instinct to possess these creatures with sometimes harsh consequences for their their well-being and lack of appreciation for the perhaps unintended, but nonetheless adverse, impact we have had on their critical habitat. With this perspective, the series took on new meaning and expanded to include raptors and fowl.

While the birds may appear in harmony with their carefully curated and beautiful backgrounds, it is a far cry from their natural environment. The backgrounds are historic patterns of a time when Europe colonized the globe, discovering and dominating faraway places, creatures and cultures. As specimens were displaced to Europe and the Americas, they fueled aviary collection and display as well as an impulse to catalog the natural world. The series seeks to capture that desire to possess the beautiful, wild and exotic, and reflect the reality that possession fundamentally changes the object of desire through its dislocation.

My hope is that these portraits form a connection that engenders empathy and awareness of the important role that birds play in our natural world. While we decorate and embellish and adorn our homes, these creatures are losing theirs.

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BIRD CREDITS

The National Aviary is home to more than 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many threatened or endangered. The National Aviary’s staff of conservationists and researchers work at home and around the world to save birds and protect habitats. The National Aviary leads, innovates, and contributes to important endangered bird breeding programs while working to preserve important bird habitats. Dynamic education programming brings the fascinating world of birds to diverse audiences, and instills a conservation ethic that teaches the responsibility we all share in being stewards of our planet.

Elmwood Park Zoo is owned and operated by the Norristown Zoological Society, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster an appreciation for wildlife and the environment that will inspire active participation in conservation. Elmwood Park Zoo currently maintains a collection of over 100 species that hail from all over the globe. A number of species in the collection are managed pursuant to an international SSP (Species Survival Plan) These programs aim to maintain and increase the size of animal populations that are under the largest threat of extinction.

Eagle Encounters is a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education and eco-tourism center based in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Mike Dupuy is a licensed Master Falconer, educator, and motivational public speaker with over 20 years experience and a reputation as one of the country's top falconry/bird of prey experts.

Royal Shaheen Falconry experience in Dubai’s pristine desert.