An installation of clay bird sculptures will open at the Horniman Museum and Gardens on 27 May 2023.
The Flock project was developed by artist Julie Nelson, in collaboration with members of the Grounding Project, a specialist service for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Flock Project was inspired by starling murmurations where resident and migrant birds form organic shapes together in the sky. Conversations and ideas between Julie and Grounding Project members emerged around migration, evolution, species diversity, the environment, nature, clay and the process of creating. They made bird shapes from memory in clay, each representing countries from which they have travelled and their journeys of hope.
In this display, 25 of the sculptures are presented as bird specimens from the Horniman collection, featuring the colours and designs of historical labels seen in its Natural History Gallery.
Julie has also studied the created birds and produced a new set of drawings to record the project. Numerous marks on paper make up each image, similar to the gathering of birds in the sky.
Accompanying the sculptures and drawings is a video by filmmaker Andy Dunn. The work shows a starling murmuration alongside the process of making a bird from clay.
Flock project Julie Nelson from Julie Nelson on Vimeo.
Julie Nelson says: ‘No animal is more mythic or rich in symbolic or cultural associations than the humble bird. Important in every culture, birds speak of freedom and flight, migration and longing, independence and togetherness.’
Flock Project is on display in the Horniman’s Natural History Gallery from Saturday 27 May 2023. Entry to the Horniman, and to see Flock Project, is free.
To find out more about Flock Project and hear from its participants, please visit flockproject.co.uk.
