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Art Meets Extinction: Bird Portraits for Venice Biennale
3 May
Summary
- Artist photographs extinct and endangered native birds.
- Museum collection of taxidermied birds inspired new work.
- Bird artworks to be exhibited at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
For over two decades, Pardington has documented taonga and museum specimens worldwide. Her recent focus on a South Canterbury museum's collection of taxidermied native birds, many of which are extinct or endangered, has sparked a new artistic endeavor.
These manu, significant in Māori culture as intermediaries between spiritual and human realms, are now the subject of Pardington's human-scale portrait series. The resulting collection is slated for exhibition at the prestigious 2026 Venice Biennale.
Pardington's initiative seeks to reframe public perception of birds and underscore the urgent need for enhanced conservation strategies. The exhibition invites a deeper contemplation of avian life and our role in its preservation.
