Birds of Spring: A survey exhibition of sculpture and works on paper

Growing up in Montreal, I spent the first six decades of life within earshot of two major expressways. As such, I grew accustomed to the constant din of automobile traffic and, for a while, train whistles. According to Statistics Canada, Montreal has a population density of 4517 people per square kilometer whereas Lac Brome (which includes Knowlton) is under 30! It should come as no surprise that there is less automobile noise. This is not to say that the countryside is devoid of sound; on my daily walks with the dogs, I am treated to a cacophonous symphony of avian chirps, squawks, honks, and quacks. Being a product of the big city I am at a loss to identify the myriad species of birds that we encounter although the bleating Canada Geese and the famous Brome Lake ducks are rather obvious.

I realized that I am literally surrounded by birds. By this I mean that I get to enjoy all the magnificent birds flying overhead but also get to marvel at the myriad artworks featuring avian subject matter. Hundreds of bird species migrate to the arctic to breed in colonies that can number into the hundreds of thousands. Birds hold great importance to the Inuit. Not only are they a source of food but they can often signal approaching danger. Birds are often seen as spirit animals and figure in many of the most important works of sculpture and graphics. Kenojuak Ashevak’s iconic “Enchanted Owl” remains the most famous and sought after Inuit print.

While I have opted to name this eclectic exhibition of avian artworks “Birds of Spring” it is ironic that it does not include any works by Abraham Etungat who is justly famous for his “Birds of Spring”. I simply do not have one in inventory or it would have been the signature piece for this mailing. There is however a lovely Etungat in the upcoming First Arts online auction on Liveauctioneers and there shall be another fine example in the First Arts Spring live auction to be held in Toronto on June 10th.

As with most of my survey exhibitions, I have tried to include works in stone and on paper from across the arctic and across time. I hope that you enjoy looking at these pieces as much as I do.