Bird Shift: Ghosts and Strangers was commisioned for the exhibition Facts and Fables: Stories from the Natural World at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia. The project consisted of 160 photographically printed sculptures representing Carolia parakeets and Passenger pigeons, two birds that were once common in the region but are now extinct. The sculptures, called "silhouettes," are white on one side and mounted on a pivot so viewers will either experience a photograph of these birds or a white void in the shape of the bird. The sculptures were mounted on trees along a paved trail at the Schuylkill center. Other elements were informational sheetsinstalled in a bird viewing blind telling about human introduced birds that can be seen in the area. There were also questionairre cards asking visitors about their bird encounters, paying particular attention to how the birds reacted to the presence of people.

Gallery display at the main building of the Schuylkill Center.

bird shift projects | srne | brian d collier