Migratory Confluence
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2024
Mural installation, ink on paper, wood
11.1 H x 12.1 W x 1.5 D ft (3,4 x 3,7 x 0,5 m)
This work depicts a gathering of migratory bird species, whose paths cross the region of Massachusetts’s Middlesex County during the months of September to November, which is the time and place of this exhibition. As a resting place for the distant travelers, the birds perch on “branches”, which are geographical sections of the Merrimack River. Embedded in the ideas of motion and intersection, these river sections indicate the meetings of the Merrimack River and its tributaries, pouring and merging into one larger body of water and continuing on their journey as a unifying force. The painted wall portrays a night sky backdrop, conveying the preferable atmosphere and time of day where most migratory birds choose to travel. This specificity provides better protection from predators, prevent overheating, smoother air currents which result in minimal expense of energy, while still able to navigate efficiently using celestial cues and Earth’s magnetic field.
“Migratory Confluence” communicates some of the many interwoven patterns of an observed place. The underlying health and make up of our habitat is evidence of the perpetual exchanging relationships between numerous disparate lives and their intimate time with this environment. As we each continue to traverse as individual tributaries, can our merging build a sturdy and fluid community, welcoming anyone who wants to rest their tired wings.
