Art for the birds

and the dogs..

A public found-object art exhibition was held recently at Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, which is my usual birding spot. These events have been held before, but not at this specific location. I think the aim is to create with rubbish and refuse, thereby making recycled artworks that are also recyclable.

Anyhoo - it was a quick wander up the path, avoiding the supposedly leashed dogs and staring across the work reflected in the stormwater drainage ditch. As with previous years, the works were hit, miss or why.

These are coloured cones stuck in the mud adjacent to the drain. They're sort of reminscent of traffic cones, or large golf tees. I'll duck for cover if I hear a booming cry of those fateful words    "Fore!!"

And this is some fungal-like sculpture crafted from the dog shitbags which are so oft found in parks, distributed with the intention for their use to contain the dos, but not necessarily do the bag and contents find their way in a bin. I like this sculpture, oddly enough, because it is a woven netted form which reminds me of the gills/vellum of a morel stinkhorn. Coincidentally, the smell from a discarded, used dog bag also reminds me of a stinkhorn - but I'm certain that wasn't the desired intention of the artist.

 And these are little paper house things. Or something. I should have read the label. But, judging from the deeply set footprints, the people installing the exhibit may have had a fun time extracting themselves from the mud. At least they didn't require a helicopter to secure their rescue

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A pelican - reel to reel. Clever one this one.





 
 

Fish - all strung out.



Plastic sheet strung between two trees... another why category. I think the title was something like "screen", so it wasn't a commentary on arboreal plastic sheeting ..

 

Diving cormorants - with final scene of bird with ringpull plastic



and finally - Birdcage - with reversed roles. Oh why don't we see more of this scene.

Soooooooo.... that's a sunny afternoon ramble down the park, away from the dogs, among the birds of the santuary. Needless to say, the ponds themselves have enough water to be enjoyed the birds.



Tree - frame - tree