The Birdsong Story

Birdsong Narrative
By - Adriana Russo Caso

            In recent brainstorming about public art, I became distressed by the way people communicate with each other in our world today. At the same time, I was also fascinated with the idea that we hear birds before we see them. My artist’s brain started to compare the two concepts and Birdsong was born.

Appreciation of birdsongs require a moment of focus to discover where the sound is coming from, and another to slow down enough to consider the wonder in them. There can be joy in the search for the source of the surprising song. But sometimes we are too busy or bothered for beauty.

That is often how our words exist through technology. Words go out before anyone can identify their source. We rarely have time to discover the who, what, or why behind them. There are so many “songs” in the trees, it can be hard to focus, we often miss or misunderstand the message or intention that the words may carry with them. The speed of technology and the harsh realities of communication in our culture today can lead us to react too quickly, neglecting the time it takes to be kind or to vet a source. It can be difficult to pursue the art of discourse and remain graceful with each other.

I am intrigued by the ways birdsong exists within the noise of our lives. Each bird sings its own song for different reasons, but together they create a phenomenal sound of unity. It’s important to observe that they are not “agreeing” with each other. They each have their own unique melody to add to the beauty of the forest’s chorus. And so, I’m reminded of the days when I could disagree with someone and remain a friend. Each of us have a different song to sing, contributing to the beautiful mosaic of community.

We want to help people realize that their words have power. Someone wise said, “Our lives make a sound, what sound will yours make?” Will it be the dazzling song of the sparrow or the contrasting cackle of the crow?

              I think its beautiful to dream, and even strive for a culture where we can all sing our own songs and still be unified. This is represented in the project itself. Each bird is the exact same shape, but each is unique because they are painted by individual artists who all have a “voice”. The large bird sculpture has been a collaborative community effort and will serve as a beautiful visual collective song.

I’m passionate about the people this will inspire and the potential for positivity and unity to be promoted among: the artists involved, the community, the merchants, visitors and more. We will provide interactive experiences for people to engage with the installation during the seasons.

At Door 2 we believe this is an incredible opportunity to encourage people to use their words for unity by creating a public art project centered around this narrative of gentle beauty.