Artists Flock To Brooklyn Botanic Garden To Create Birdhouse Exhibit

BROOKLYN, NY — A MacArthur genius grant recipient, a visual artist who's been commissioned for Coachella and a preeminent sculptor all have work on display at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, of all places.

"For the Birds," a multidisciplinary exhibit now on display at the garden through October 23, features 33 site-specific birdhouses created by renowned artists — Walter Hood, Olalekan Jeyifous and Tom Sachs among them. The exhibit explores birds, plants and climate change.

Through listening stations and live performances, the exhibit also incorporates music and poetry from an album created for the project, titled "The Birdsong Project."

The album, compiled by Randall Poster, includes nearly 200 original pieces of music, 70-plus poems, and 20 album covers by artists, poets and actors alike including Elvis Costello, Yo-Yo Ma, Ocean Vuong, Natasha Lyonne, Roz Chast, and many others.

Poster said he truly opened his ears to the music of the birds during the pandemic, while working from home and hearing their songs amid the relative quiet of the city.

During that time he also learned about the increasing threat that climate change poses to North American bird populations, which scientists estimate have declined 30 percent since 1970.

"Inspired by both joy and revelation, The Birdsong Project began," Poster said in a statement.

Adrian Benepe, president and CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, hopes that the exhibit — and its associated programming over the next five months — can help people better understand the importance of places like the botanic garden.

"Since 1911, Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been growing, preserving, and promoting plants and conservation," he said. "We are home to one of the nation’s first native plant gardens, and our grounds function as a wonderful, protected space for birds."

The exhibit's educational programming, which expands on these ideas, includes weekly birding tours, a soundbath and events for kids and families (more info here).

Unless otherwise noted, all of the programs associated with For the Birds are free with the price of general admission into the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Learn more about "For the Birds" here.