‘Feathered’ brings birds in many forms to Dallas’ Erin Cluley Gallery
Artists unite around a common subject through Feb. 10 at the gallery.
Birds are having a moment. That might be odd to say about a group of dinosaur descendants that predate us by hundreds of millions of years. But it’s true, at least from what I’ve gathered. It seems to have started during the pandemic, when Facebook feeds filled up with images of avian visitors perching serendipitously on friends’ feeders or at the windowsill, a reminder that, yes, there was still a world out there to return to. Or maybe that despite our suffering, life — in the ecological sense — carried on.
Leila Jeffreys, "Tani," a masked owl, included in the exhibition "Feathered" at Erin Cluley Gallery. (Leila Jeffreys)
At Erin Cluley Gallery, the relationship between humans and birds is the subject of a new exhibition, “Feathered,” that brings together artists from several countries. Drawing on various mediums including photography and watercolor, the artists spur viewers to “reconsider and reflect on their connection to birds and all non-human animals” through what the gallery calls a survey of contemporary art’s longstanding bond with the winged creatures.
Dallas artists John Miranda, Nic Nicosia and Zeke Williams share the roster with Ike E. Morgan of Austin; Alexa Brooks of Madrid, Spain; Leila Jeffreys of Sydney, Australia; and Magdalena Rantica of Oaxaca, Mexico. Jeffreys, a photographer and video artist, had her work shown previously at the gallery last summer. This time, she’s back with new “hyper-detailed” photos of birds which, after forging a bond, she captures in poses that display their distinct characteristics.
Ranging far from that approach is Brooks, whose watercolors draw on the natural environment in Spain, “pulling birds from their habitats to soft, intricate compositions,” that the gallery likens to those of the British designer William Morris. That our feathered friends could inspire such interdisciplinary work is evidence of how they capture our interest, and, maybe, of our desire to capture something of them.
Details: Through Feb. 10, Erin Cluley Gallery, 150 Manufacturing St., Suite 210, Dallas.erincluley.com.
