Central Park

The Arsenal Gallery Explores the Threats to NYC’s Migratory Birds

Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Silent Migration, a site-specific installation by ecological artist Brandon Ballengée. Using various mediums, the exhibit explores issues that threaten local bird populations. The exhibit will be on display March 8 through April 6, 2007, with a coinciding panel discussion on March 20, 2007.

"More than 300 species of birds call New York City home or consider it a vital rest stop on their journey along the Atlantic Flyway," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "At Parks we do everything we can to preserve their natural habitat in the parks but there are many pressing issues that threaten our local bird population. Brandon Ballengée’s exhibit artistically calls attention to these issues and captures the beauty of the birds that visit our bustling metropolis each year."

Ballengée first examines local bird species that are extinct or are declining by removing them from historic prints by John James Audubon. The cutout profiles of the birds leave blank holes in the environments where they once lived. The exhibition also features a photographic series titled Electric Stars at Dawn. The series demonstrates the impact that light pollution has on birds—for example, reflections of leafy trees on a building’s windows appear to be an inviting perch. Another component, The Great Atlantic Fly-way, is a large collaborate artwork that features hundreds of migratory bird photographs taken by the public throughout the Americas. The photographs are placed along a painted mural of the Atlantic coastline. Ballengée has also recreated several natural habitats, which feature a monitor with a video of a bird interacting with its manmade environment.

New York City’s position along the Atlantic Migratory Bird Flyway draws thousands of birds from places as far away as Patagonia and Greenland each spring and fall. Many species migrate at night and can be disoriented by illuminated structures—particularly when weather conditions force them to fly at lower altitudes.

As in all of his projects, Brandon Ballengée explores the boundaries between art, science and technology, creating multidisciplinary works out of information generated from ecological field trips and laboratory research. His work has been exhibited around the world and appeared in numerous publications and television programs.

The exhibition is organized by Parks & Recreation’s Public Art Coordinator Clare Weiss and sponsored in conjunction with the Human Nature/ Art and the Environment series, a joint production of The Nature Conservancy, NYC Audubon and Ecoartspace. The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks and park history. It is located on the third floor of the Parks Department Headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is free.

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