“Aviary of the Reverend
William J. Long”
William J. Long”
Gallery 303 - Provo, UT
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The original installation was accompanied by a phonetic dawn chorus. Click below to hear a sample:
Inspired by my research into anthropomorphism and the sentimental wild animal stories of the late 19th century, I crafted hundreds of these anthropomorphic objects I call “bird dolls.” For millennia, children have used dolls as empathy test dummies for their interactions with real humans and to train them for life in society. I like the playful idea that my bird dolls were created to fulfill a similar function—to be empathy test dummies and to train us for our interactions with nature. However, the toy form also nods to the negative ways we sequester nature and how our perceptions often create a world of playthings. “The Aviary of the Reverend William J. Long” examines the importance of scientific objectivity while gently reflecting on the positive and negative role of sentiment, fiction, and folklore in connecting us with the natural world.
Alternate venues:
3rd Space Studios - Provo, UT
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Blue Galleries - Boise, ID
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