PUT A BIRD ON IT: ART THAT ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE
In December 2015, a rainbow-colored Painted Bunting arrived in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, diverted from its typical migration to Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Strange juxtapositions like this are becoming commonplace in the wake of rising temperatures across the globe.
This rare sight inspired WNW Member #5758 Tatiana Arocha to create “Tropical Birds,” a public art project launching a migration of birds into the trees of New York City neighborhoods to initiate a conversation around climate change.
The first migration is based on five different species of tropical birds from Colombia. Each is constructed from laser cut MDF and wheat pasted original illustrations with gold paint details. The handmade silhouettes include toucans, parrots, and hummingbirds with intricately-layered textures. The birds have been installed at specific sites and arranged in proportion to the size and scale of the trees they inhabit.
So far, Tatiana has created over a hundred Colombian birds (300 more in the making). She'll be installing birds in public spaces in The Navy Yard, Fort Greene and the Queens Botanical Garden; the installation at BLDG 92 will also be incorporated into the SONYA Art Walk this weekend (May 21-22). The National Audubon Society will be supporting the project through social media and a project feature.
When you discover a bird, tag it on Instagram with #tropicalbirdsnewyork.
