‘Frances’s nest’  Bird nest and a small piece of red building brick. 57(L) x 32(W)x 18(H) cms.

“1963 is an important year for me. I remember the collapse of the tenement buildings in (Fenian Street) Dublin. It was exactly 50 years since it had happened previously, and then, like now, they promised the people they would build new and better homes”.

‘Nest’ came about as an aesthetic reaction to my concern about the many ways people are losing their place of residence; be this through homelessness, a financial crisis, violent displacement or because the nest no longer suits their needs.Over time ‘Nest’ developed into a collaboration with the general public and it is an ongoing work.

Many of the found nests seen in the images were donated to me and I then asked the contributors to send me an object that would be placed in the nest relating to the subject of empty/abandoned nest. Beside each image there is a small card explaining in a few lines of text the details of the donor’s reason and choice of object.

For me, a nest conjures up a sense of home, a safe and secure space for growing up, living in and developing as an individual and as a family. Many people are not afforded this luxury.

Each of the photographic images of the nests and the associated objects are 50 cms. square. They’ve been photographed very simply against a white background, in order to focus the viewer on the nest and the objects therein.

Each of the images also represents a voice from our broad community. Some have chosen an object to highlight concerns about those who are in difficult situations, and some have chosen to comment about their own lives. The overall message is a softly spoken but none the less urgent political comment on our society. By contributing within an art work, voice is given to those who would not usually express themselves in such a visual manner.

If you wish to be part of ‘Nest’ please contact me via annabelalkonig@gmail.com  I am always looking for nests but more importantly I am looking for a contribution of objects which can be placed within a nest and a few lines of text explaining your choice of objects. I will return the object to you when the photograph has been taken.

From: https://issuu.com/linenhallartscentre/docs/cabinetofwonders_3

Curated by Ian Wieczorek for the Linnenhall Gallery.

‘Nest’ will be shown as a work in progress in Visual, Centre for Contemporary Art, Carlow as part of the “9 Stones Artists” exhibition, opening on the 9th of July and running until the 13th of October 2016.

Dawn Flight

You left, without saying a word. At last you were silent.

Only the faint squeezing of my fingers let me know you were still with me.

All night you journeyed, further and further, right to the edge,

Careless of your breathing, rattled on to the end of the road where,

When the light came back, you gave on last sigh,

And were gone.

Dolores