Label Type
Artist CommentaryLabel
Birdcage
Found object
Part of the Simple Objects project
Courtesy The Clark Family and The Clovers
This birdcage hung in the garden, adding a touch of whimsy to a profusion of flowers. Did it ever contain a bird? If it housed a bird, what happened to the bird? Or was it a bird of the imagination?
What happened to all the other birds in the garden, in the forest, on the mountain? What did birds do in this fire? They flew. Audubon says they suffer smoke inhalation like the rest of us, or exhaustion trying to flee.
Birds might enjoy benefits after a fire, as beetles and other insects arrive to lay eggs in burned trees, providing woodpeckers, for example, with a feast. There are even incidents of birds starting fires, either by accident or on purpose. A bird might touch two live electrical wires at once, causing sparks. Australians have observed raptors dropping burning sticks to “flush out prey.” – Stephanie Taylor