Flight, 2020-23

Flight, oil on board, 80 panels each 23 x 31cm, size variable, 2.35 x 4.65 in this photograph

There is something about the splayed wings, contorted feet, twisted necks and exposed entrails of a dead bird that is so full of life – more alive, it seems, than the actual living bird. In fact, it’s a poignant reminder of the co-existence of life and death. I’ve been photographing dead birds and thinking about this particular subject matter for 25 years and am pleased to have completed the work for this exhibition in this specific gallery space. The palette has been reduced to a single colour (with white) to give an over-exposed quality to the piece and emphasise the differences between each bird’s ’posture’. It also unites the individual portraits into one holistic work.