Daniel Spoerri
Aviary of the Sleeping Birds
Aviary of the Sleeping Birds
1997
H.: 200 cm, Ø 300 cm
Collection of »nature morte« by various artists, XIX and XX century
bronze, brick, iron
What from a distance looks like a typical element of a classical park and gardens – an aviary for precious birds -turns out on closer inspection to be a chilling container in which a mass dying has taken place. The sight of the little bird corpses on the floor of the cage inevitably reminds the viewer of environmental catastrophes. The bronze birds once again reveal Daniel Spoerri to be a collector. He collected the various models at French flea markets over the years. In the nineteenth century these figurines were placed on children’s graves. The cogniescenti euphemistically call them »sleeping« birds.