Humans have a long history of living alongside, and exploiting, birds of all kinds: we have used their bodies and eggs for food; transformed their feathers into clothing, accessories, and ritual items; fashioned their bones in to instruments, fishing hooks, and sewing needles; and conscripted them into service as messengers, hunting tools, living objects, and more. Yet so often in urban landscapes, birds blend into the background — always present, but seldom considered. Fortunately artists and crafts people around the world have not turned a blind eye to our avian neighbors, finding seemingly endless inspiration from observing, thinking about, and interacting with birds. This group of artworks honors the diverse and fantastical ways birds have captivated human imagination across time and around the globe.
