Birdy 2020

Curator: Here we have Eckart Hahn's "Birdy," a sculpture from 2020. Quite the arresting image, isn't it? What are your first thoughts? Editor: Striking, undeniably. The texture… it appears to be crafted from feathers, an unexpected medium. And the pose, slightly melancholic, invites a closer look at the material and its construction. Curator: Hahn's method here involves painstaking accumulation. Considering the labor and arrangement of these elements, how does this material articulation engage the lineage of figurative sculpture? Editor: The form itself is classically derived—a portrait bust—but it subverts those traditions by presenting something…uncanny. Its hyper-realistic detailing and peculiar materiality evoke feelings of both awe and disquiet. The eyes, for instance—note the contrast with the feathery texture everywhere else. Curator: Absolutely, there’s tension there. Hahn pushes boundaries, using materials in an innovative manner while tapping into primal feelings and broader cultural anxieties, especially our complicated relationships with other species. The choice of feathers themselves could be symbolic of animal exploitation and consumerism. Editor: Or perhaps commenting on human nature, our own bestial qualities veiled in softness. The artist coaxes such life from an unexpected source of texture, employing line, tone, and form to produce an organic unity. Curator: Yet what drives such dedicated labour? What propels such artistic practices, with ethical considerations woven into material choices? Editor: Regardless of interpretation, there's no denying the artist's skill in transmuting the mundane, subverting our notions of "natural" versus "artificial," drawing our gaze, to invite questioning and contemplation. I find it particularly remarkable how a single, recurring material generates complexity and conveys presence, which leads to exploring fundamental themes. Curator: Precisely. Through such material engagements, we, as viewers, start to engage a broader social critique around ideas of "nature". Well, it has certainly given us much to ponder! Editor: Indeed. It's a memorable piece that lingers in the mind.