About the event
Birds have long been a source of wonder to us. By observing birds, we are taken beyond ourselves. They lift our spirits with their song and transport us on physical and imaginative journeys. Birds have inspired a world of stories and a wealth of imagery: from poetry, art and photography to folklore, myths and music. They continue to make us question and explore their existence, and in turn our relationship to them. Today, although we increasingly understand the benefits of looking at birds, our winged companions are in rapid decline. Their wonder is tinged with loss.
With the words and art of The Book of the Birds by Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane, in conversation with the Bodleian’s collections, our new exhibition at the Weston Library, Wonder of Birds, invites you to notice and wonder.
Curator Antonia Harrison will give a guided tour of the exhibition to the Friends of the Bodleian, highlighting the 'seven wonders' of birds and the astonishing acts of creativity birds have inspired in us.
Speaker
Antonia Harrison is a curator, art historian and writer. With over 20 years’ experience of working with artists and collections in her former roles as Senior Curator at Compton Verney and at the Barbican Art Gallery, she is now working independently. She recently curated The Glass Heart: Art, Industry & Collaboration at Two Temple Place, which reframed glass making over the last 170 years bringing together works from major UK public collections alongside contemporary work.
Event information
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