For the Birds 2007

The installation For the Birds displays two-headed taxidermy birds (seemingly) in motion in front of an artificial backdrop of ceramic tiles, decorated with drawings of popular scientific motifs from 19th century books of medical curiosities. The birds, captured in flight, are displayed merely as ornamental artifacts. The work’s tactic is to mimic the strategies of designer items that are made exclusively for the purpose of decoration and manifestation of wealth and power of their owners and which do not take account of the (non)existence of political correctness of its image sourcing. For the Birds is thus a continuation of Cibic’s ongoing artistic research dedicated to consistent deconstruction of politics of display and its profound meaning throughout the 20th century. Exhibiting exotic animals (and people), either dead or alive, originates from the 19th century colonial tradition when public zoos and private collectors were endorsing the ideology of imperialism.