LINDA BYRNE: RECYCLING NATURE / December 9, 2005-January 15, 2006

 
“Recycling Nature” by Linda Byrne is a diorama made for sculptures replicating natural forms in one of the exact materials, synthetic and industrial, that has undermined the efficacy of the natural world, interrupting the process of natural selection, and weakening the ecosphere. Her nests are comprised from the plastic molds that most commonly holds six-packs of beer together, but which when inappropriately disposed, have become a life threatening object for birds around the world. As the artist states, “Our vanishing bird population is one indicator of this destruction. Bird extinctions are on the increase, already topping 50 times the rate of natural loss. My newest work uses the image of an empty nest to express this loss. Though different species of birds build unique nests, they each fall into a category or type. Using plastic "O" rings from soda and beer cans, I have fashioned several of these types of nests. The materials I choose to execute my ideas are an important part of my work. They express the character of the pieces. Shaping objects that are recognizable out of materials that are unexpected brings them into sharper focus to the viewer. By using clear plastic, I comment both on the over-use of non-biodegradable materials that contribute to the pollution of our land and water, and on the vanishing birds which are important indicators of the health of our planet. Recycling Nature is an installation styled after a natural history museum diorama. Here, no birds are seen. They have disappeared, leaving behind only nests built out of the very plastics that caused their demise.” [Partial statement by the Artist]