This spring Manomet will be collaborating with the Concord Center for Visual Arts—(Concord Art for short)—the second oldest art association in the country, for a special collaboration of science and art.  From April 9–May 9 an art show titled BIRD: Metaphor + Muse curated by Holly Hanson. 

 

A new component of this particular show will be an additional student-curated art show called Solid Air: C-ART Exhibition where students will create works of art using data from Manomet’s Banding Lab. Through the sharing of talents and ideas, C-ART aims to facilitate meaningful connections among student artists, established artists, and art faculty, to develop collaborative exhibitions and art-making, and to enhance the arts programming at each institution while benefiting the broader Concord community. 

 

Animals have inspired human art since the dawn of man. In discussing the April art show, Trevor Lloyd-Evans, Manomet’s Director of Landbird Conservation, stated that, “The concept of using art to illustrate the world around us and its significance to people is almost literally ‘as old as the hills.’ We need only to think of the Paleolithic cave paintings at Lascaux, near Dordogne in France, to realize that over 17,000 years ago people were representing animals as more than just the next meal!” 

 

In addition, he shared that, “From the earliest times (aboriginal and native art, Greek carvings) people have been intrigued by birds: their colors, their songs and above all the freedom of flight without the aid of any technology. A 2011 report by the US Fish & Wildlife Service identified 47 million Americans (ca. 20%) as ‘birders’, at least in the sense that they traveled more than a few miles from home, primarily to see birds.  People love birds, care about birds, and we are excited to be bringing our science and art together with the students for this show to celebrate our world’s birds.”

 

Students from Concord-Carlisle High School, Concord Academy and Middlesex School will be working on creating art projects using data showing how bird populations have changed over time. Some migrant bird species are adapting to a warming climate while others are not.  Manomet has been monitoring populations of landbirds officially since 1969 at its headquarters located in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  In warmer springs, birds arriving earlier will feast on caterpillars that hatch out sooner in response to earlier tree and shrub leafout. However, species wintering in South America (e.g. Blackpoll Warbler) are unable to detect warmer or cooler springs in North America and do not arrive earlier in warmer years—making them more susceptible to species decline.

 

The BIRD: Metaphor + Muse Art Show opening night reception will be held on Thursday, April 7 from 6-8pm, with the show running through May 9.  Several presentations and workshops will also be scheduled during the run of the show. 

 

We hope you will join us for this wonderful celebration of art, science and students.

 

All the exhibits are free and open to the public. 

 

For more information, please contact Manomet Director of Communications Cheryl Botieri at cbotieri@manomet.org, 508-224-6521 ext. 229, or Concord Art Association Marketing Director Kathleen Jacobs at kathleenjacobs@concordart.org, 978-371-249 or visit www.concordart.org