I expect this course module to focus on researching and critiquing models and methodologies related to curation, encounters, and exhibits. I plan to have my exhibition as part of my studies by the end of October 2024. I am looking at the last weekend in October as a good time. (last quarter of the moon phase)
Exercise 1: Purposeful Conversations
In preparation for your research into a number of potential exhibition and curation options, it might be useful to organise a discussion with one or two people within your communities of practice and care.
The purpose being to gain further information, data and insights on the potential content, format, location and context within which to present your work.
The results from this discussion are likely to inform the writing of an Artist Statement and the Research activity that you do next.
Exhibition/Curation options
SPACE—I am considering art outside a traditional gallery space and how it will impact community engagement and perception. I want to use our farmhouse and outdoor areas alongside the dam, a verandah, or even a barn. I need to consider the accessibility of this space and why I want engagement with my work in this space—how will this engagement strategy work? I want to share an immersive and interactive experience with viewers, which could enhance their understanding of my work.
EXHIBITION – Opening
MODE of CURATION—Key conversations should involve methodologies/different curatorial approaches and how they will/could influence the presentation and interpretation of my work. Also consider the ethical implications of curatorial choices, my vision around audience engagement, budget, limitations of space, and artist collaboration. Should I use a ‘curator’? What will the curator’s influence be on the exhibit and viewer experience?
OPEN-Up a NEW and MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE between myself, the work and the audience
Thinking about the materials and Derrida’s phrase, to ‘make the materiel laugh’ – my reason is hidden in the last part of that Petra Lange-Berndt (How to be complicit with materials, p20) : .’and if necessary, to embarrass oneself. I know I am pushing the boundaries of wire as a medium. Still, by placing it in unconventional contexts and juxtaposing its rigid nature with the organic form of a nest, I can create conversations around these and challenge or disrupt conventional perceptions of material and form. I also agree with Dewey when he concluded that all art is the product of interaction between living organisms and their environment; that is to say, it is the product of having an experience. This indicated that our environment has an aesthetic dimension where expression is given – be it in birdsong, a bird display dance or a created nest.
Facts around Sociable weavers and their nests
What I have learned about bird nests:
Many species of animals build structures, referred to as animal architecture, that modify their physical environment in ways that serve various purposes for them and other species. (Laidre, 2021a). These structures can:
- increase survival through protection against predators (Caro, 2005),
- they can provide thermal insulation (Hilton et al., 2004; Lombardo et al., 1995),
- help to capture prey,
- help to store food,
- can be used for roosting and/or
- be associated with courtship or reproduction/ breeding (Laidre, 2021a).
In cooperatively breeding species, sexually mature non-breeding individuals—called ‘helpers’—assist in raising the offspring of others by bringing additional food to the nest and performing other tasks such as cleaning the nest and also participate in nest building and maintenant as well as playing a role in watching for predators and warn the colony if danger does approach – territory defense. This reminds of a well functioning society in human terms.
I think it essential to look at the meaning of cooperation in this situation: research has shown that kin selection plays a vital role in these colonies where close family, brothers and sisters become the helpers. Interestingly, the most significant benefit is to the female birds, whose survival rates are increased, especially when helpers are available. (dr Rita Covas, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRkmuPQkTrk) They started looking if cooperation is reliable, and what makes it reliable. This is research is mainly by video recordings at these nests which they have been studying over more than 10 years.
The sociable weaver nests consist of separate chambers, each occupied by a pair of birds, sometimes with their offspring. The entrances to the chambers in these nests can be seen from below, but they are separate chambers. Scientists have shown that the central chambers retain heat and are used for nighttime roosting, while the outer rooms are used for daytime shade. Large nesting colonies can span generations and decades, all in the same nest—some have lasted close to a century. New chicks aren’t hatched on a strict seasonal cycle. Instead, females lay eggs shortly after rain. Lizards and other animals have also been noted to respond to the birds’ alarms when there’s a predator nearby. Sociable weavers eat grains and insects and have evolved to get all their dietary water from their food. Colony members sometimes visit nearby nests but return to the same nest every night. (https://phys.org/news/2019-07-massive-sociable-weavers-house-species.html. I also learned from the research of dr Lonely and dr Thomson that the chambers with longer entrance tunnels provide better insulation than chambers with shorter entrance tunnels, and chambers located toward the centre of a colony provide greater insulation than chambers at the edge. Chambers occupied by falcons are the ones with shorter entrance tunnels. (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2020.570006/full)
These massive nests have several functions, especially the buffering of the extreme temperatures in our region’s deserts and semi-desert areas. “The nest occupants include a range of other animals, from Pygmy Falcons and Red-headedWeavers to Cape Cobras, lizards and wasps”, Anderson added.
The Sociable Weaver’s range is increasing, especially as they build their nests on artificial structures, such as telephone and electricity poles and windmills.
Interesting read about the colony living together with other species was found in an article where the behaviour of drongos were discussed. “Sociable Weavers benefit by treating the drongos as sentinels and eavesdropping on their alarms. Drongos also produce a special watchman’s song for their foraging mates, which attracts weavers and enables them to invest more time in finding food. However, the drongos exploit this relationship by giving false alarm calls to scare weavers with large food items and then stealing the abandoned morsels. Drongos even use their watchman’s song to call the weavers out from cover following false alarms, neatly illustrating how conflict and cooperation can co-exist in interactions between species.” (‘Living Together’, in September/Outober 2016 – Birdlife South Africa by R Thomson & T Flower.)
Sociable weavers (Philetairus socius; henceforth weavers), small passerine birds (approx. 27 g), endemic to the semi-arid and arid Kalahari in the western parts of southern Africa, build massive colonial nest structures (Maclean, 1973a; Mendelsohn and Anderson, 1997). These large colonies are built using Stipagrostis grasses, and maintenance by weavers means these structures can exist for decades and host many generations of weaver (Collias and Collias, 1964). Each colony can contain between two and 250 chambers and hundreds of weaver individuals (Maclean, 1973a). Each nest chamber is accessed through its own entrance tunnel situated on the underside of the colony (Figure 1). Nest chambers are located at different depths (<25 cm) within the colony and therefore entrance tunnels vary in length (Maclean, 1973a). Internal nest temperatures are cooler than external temperatures in summer and warmer than external temperatures in winter (Batholomew et al., 1975; White et al., 1975; van Dijk et al., 2013; Leighton and Echeverri, 2014). It has also been demonstrated that chambers toward the center provide better thermal buffering against external temperatures than those on the edge (van Dijk et al., 2013; Leighton and Echeverri, 2014). This influences the weaver social dynamics, as dominant individuals occupy central chambers with greater insulation (van Dijk et al., 2013). Furthermore, when weavers are not breeding and external temperatures are low, multiple individuals (up to 8) will roost in a single chamber, this further increases the nest temperature reducing the effects of cold ambient temperatures (Paquet et al., 2016). I also learned that some groups can have more than one chamber inside the nest.
The wire nest, “Kalahari Hotel 2024” is inspired by the intricate nests of sociable weaver birds in the Kalahari Desert. Observing these nests during my travels and learning from ongoing research by the University of Cape Town’s team led by Dr. Robert Thomson has deeply influenced my art practice. The name “Kalahari Hotel” was suggested by Dr. Thomson, encapsulating the communal and multifaceted nature of these nests, which serve not only weaver birds but also various other species. He has given me permission to use the name.
Informed by Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia, this work explores spaces that juxtapose contrasting realities and serve unique functions within society. Foucault describes heterotopias as spaces that exist outside of ordinary spaces but are connected to them, embodying both isolation and accessibility, protection and openness. This duality resonates with the sociable weaver nests, which house a complex social structure and provide shelter for multiple species, each utilizing the nest for different purposes.
My wire nest installation reinterprets nature by bringing the inside out, displaying the ‘breeding chambers’ externally. This inversion allows viewers to engage with the nest on a deeper level, contemplating themes of security, protection, inclusion, and exclusion. The use of wire, a material both transparent and rigid, emphasizes this interplay, inviting reflection on the societal structures that govern our lives.
The nests in nature, with numerous downward-pointing entrances and interconnected chambers, symbolize the delicate balance between isolation and accessibility. My work mirrors this balance, creating a space that challenges perceptions of home, safety, and confinement. By placing the wire nest in an outdoor installation, I aim to evoke a sense of the natural environment while encouraging viewers to consider the cultural and symbolic layers of the work.
Furthermore, the “Kalahari Hotel” concept aligns with the theme of my current exhibition, “Breathe, Breeze, and Winged Things.” This theme is reflected in the meditative and repetitive process of making the nests, mirroring the rhythm of breathing and the natural flow of life. The installation, with its open structure and potential for viewer interaction, becomes a living, evolving entity, much like the communal nests of sociable weavers.
Through this work, I explore the dynamics of access and confinement, care and loss, and the interconnectedness of life. By inviting viewers to engage with the nest, I hope to create a space for reflection and connection, reminding us of nature’s endless wonders and the universal need for care and community.
My artist statement
My making has centered around nestmaking and working with mostly wire and raffia.
My wire nests draw inspiration from the nests of Sociable Weavers, reimagined through Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopias. Much like hotel rooms and motels, these nests embody a familiar yet alien quality. (dr David Attenborough refers to the nests as ‘lodging houses’) They resemble the natural nests that symbolize home and security but are constructed from wire and show the ‘rooms on the outside. The material conveys both protection and confinement. This contrast invites viewers to reflect on the interplay of safety and discomfort, inclusion and exclusion in our environments.
In creating these nests, I aim to explore the idea of temporary refuges and transient spaces. Just as hotels and motels serve as brief, anonymous shelters for travellers, my wire nests offer a momentary sense of community and protection for various species. They highlight the fleeting nature of existence and the non-linear experience of time, challenging the usual order of societal norms.
By displaying the breeding chambers externally and keeping the nest open, I invert the traditional notion of a nest, bringing the inside out. This transparency invites viewers to interact with the nests, blurring the conventional boundaries of security and anonymity. I liked the idea to look at the complete structure – in nature this became the communal good and is shared by all the members. The cooperative tasks maintaining these structures are being researched by ornithologists. One would ask why would birds choose to live in a nest complex at all? My work evokes a contemplation of the complex dynamics of access, confinement, and interconnectivity that govern natural and human-made structures. I can invite viewers to crawl into the work and experience being inside the structure and imagine it a nest/home/bedroom or a place of confinement – only for the moments they are inside.
Through this exploration, I hope to illuminate the delicate balance between isolation and accessibility, protection and openness, that defines our understanding of home and community. The nests serve as a metaphor for life’s transient, interconnected nature, encouraging viewers to reflect on their experiences of security and belonging in an ever-changing world.
During my research into artists, I came upon a review of Ledelle Moe’s work, ‘Fold’. Moe is a contemporary South African sculpture artist whose materials speak to me. The review of “Fold’ I mainly found interesting was around her use of concrete and steel to define the structure of urban life and our homes, where we live and work and sleep on concrete foundations, “while steel beams and rods keep the walls and roofs in check.” It then refers to the medium as a way to confront permanence and brute force. Her work shares the language of the monumental while asserting something more contemplative and provocative in her accompanying more minor works. I feel I can take many of these observations in the review to my own making.