Humanwatching

What is a human to a pigeon, a person to a rock dove, a homo sapiens to a columbia livia? Humanwatching conceives of humans in the image of pigeons and the process of futuring not as sustaining the Anthropocene but as introducing interspecies possibilities in which the columbiform is the hottest form.

-made in collaboration with Conrad Cheung

Special thank you to Ray Hayden, without whom this project would not be possible. Both he and his pigeons worked collaboratively with us through the whole process. Thank you Ray.

2024
multimedia installation

The Arts Center in Orange, VA
October 3rd - November 20th

Happening with Pigeons

Opening Night, October 3rd, 2024
Ray Hayden and pigeons

Death Roll, HD & 4K video, 21min 32sec loop

Death Roll, 2024
HD video
21m32s

I try not to give it a name, 2024
poplar panel with two-channel video
11m

I would never domesticate another, 2024
headphones with stereo sound
12m18s

Cucurrucucu, 2024
headphones with stereo sound
8m58s

yupyupyupyupyupyupyup, 2024
headphones with stereo sound
35m47s

get back in the air, come on home, 2024
brass, fused frit
4 x 4 x 0.125 in

it did not think it was a pigeon, 2024
brass, fused frit, hardware
4 x 4 x 0.125 in

every year we change the direction, 2024
brass, fused frit, hardware
4 x 4 x 0.125 in

Perch, 2024
maple, spalted poplar, powder-coated steel, acrylic paint, birdseed, composted straw, composted pigeon droppings, soil, seeds (marigold, sunflower, morning glory, nasturtium, scarlet runner, black-eyed Susan, zinnia)
front half: 8.25 x 12 x 9 ft; back half: 8 x 10 x 8 ft

Gym, 2023
maple, acrylic dye, stainless steel
structure: 44 x 66.5 x 25 in; additions: dimensions variable

Columbid/Hominid, 2024
adhesive vinyl
dimensions variable

Arongio Hargrave
Trent Hurst
John Tigert
Eddie Bruce
Roxanne Raines
the Virginia Rolling Pigeon Club
the Virginia Pigeon and Dove Association

Lily Bukalski
Melissa Goldman
Trevor Kemp
Anna Pillow
the pigeons (again)
Ray Hayden (again)