Bye Bye Birdies

Year: 2019–2022

Art Director: Danielle Kunkel

Size: birds true to size | installation varies

Type: Immersive graph installation | Data visualization | Informational | Research

Media: Lasercut, painted, embroidered, wood | stuffed painted canvas | laser-engraved wood

What if we woke up one morning and didn’t hear our favorite birds sing?

Growing up in an area surrounded by nature and birds always chirping, it’s hard for me to imagine this. However, the bird population has seen a steady decrease over the past three decades and is not stopping. Audubon’s “Survival By Degrees” Report reveals that 68% of North American birds are at risk of extinction because of human-caused climate change and actions.

Bye Bye Birdies visualizes this data on how vulnerable bird species will be if global average temperatures raise 3ºC. True-to-size painted, embroidered, lasercut birds are placed on a wall to form an immersive graph—the closer to the ground they are, the higher their chance of extirpation (state-wide extinction). None of the birds are flying or have feet since they do not have control of their fate; only we do.

An homage is made to the Passenger Pigeon which was once the most abundant bird in the Americas that became extinct due to human disruption—foreshadowing how our favorite birds we see today might only live in taxidermy form tomorrow if action is not swiftly taken.

This project is tailored to the state it is exhibited in, showcasing data of birds locals might be familiar with. In 2022, Bye Bye Birdies was curated towards a Maryland audience during a month-long solo show as well as a week long group exhibition at Maryland Institute College of Art. I aim to continue this series by sharing species’ vulnerability across the country.

[Colorful room version] Solo show at Pinkard Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD (2022). Bird data tailored to Maryland.