Birds in the Park by Joel Bird
6 April – 12 April 2009
The Coach House, Calderstones Park
Artist Joel Bird explores British Birds, Allotments and Chimneys using painting, sculpture and photography.
Easter week at Calderstones Park sees another chance to see Joel Bird’s exhibition exploring British Birds and our relationship with them, a subject that has captivated him since childhood. The exhibition includes his paintings, sculpture and unusual stories about the birds, but this year includes a photographic study of chimneys and paintings of his new obsession, allotments.
’I want to separate myself from the more technically proficient work involving birds which sometimes suffers from a photographic realism that destroys their beauty and their personality. I want to use my style of painting to express their character and show why throughout the ages we have connected ourselves with birds and why we continue to use them as symbols and metaphors for our thoughts and emotions.
I started taking photographs of chimneys from watching birds on roofs whilst doing loft conversions in London. Chimneys are just one of those things in life people never really notice properly, and this is everything to do with art. They are unknowingly beautiful and supremely functional; this to me is the most splendid of art.
Allotments are my new obsession; I planted my potatoes last week. They are structure from chaos; each thing in allotment has its own currency separate from the outside world. An old broken window is used to produce a greater crop, I find the reality of this is more functional and satisfying than modern living.’
Joel Bird returned last autumn from exhibits in Philadelphia and commissions throughout America including New York, Florida and Allentown; he is showing in this year’s Florence Biennial and returns to Philadelphia for a solo exhibit March 2010.
Venue details:
The Coach House, Calderstones Park
Menlove Avenue, Liverpool L18 3JD
For information about the artist see; www.JoelBird.com or email joelbird@joelbird.com
Magpies