Au pays des oiseaux

Au Pays des oiseaux: a song of warning and hope

“The idea for this exhibition was born from a unique acoustic feature of the gallery: a large bay window opens onto the garden, and every spring, when the sliding window is left ajar, birdsong fills the space with such intensity that some visitors wonder where the melody is coming from. Sometimes we have to guide them outside so that they can fully appreciate it. This enchanting moment, where nature invites itself into art, inspired the project for an exhibition dedicated to birds, which will open to coincide with the singing season.

The title Au pays des oiseaux (In the Land of Birds) echoes Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, but also an alarming ecological observation: the accelerated disappearance of species. Among the enigmatic creatures that populate Carroll’s universe, the Dodo occupies a special place. Endemic to Mauritius, this “Mauritian Dronte,” a member of the Columbidae family, disappeared at the end of the 17th century, victim of hunting, habitat destruction, and the introduction of invasive species by humans. Unable to fly, slow and not very shy, it has become the tragic symbol of species extinction. Yet the Dodo is just one example among many: of the 11,000 species of birds recorded, more than 1,400 are now threatened with extinction—one in eight. Our planet’s biodiversity is in constant danger, and the causes are well known: rampant urbanization, deforestation, pollution, and above all, the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture, which decimates the insects that birds feed on and poisons their environment.

It is estimated that since the 1980s, bird populations in the European countryside have fallen by nearly 40%, a staggering decline that has often gone unnoticed. The day the birdsong falls silent will not only be the end of enchantment, but a sign of ecological collapse with irreversible consequences for the balance of our ecosystems.

Birds have always played a major role in art history, as evidenced by the masterpieces of Picasso, Brancusi, Matisse, and Magritte. This exhibition brings together accessible works by contemporary artists from a variety of disciplines—painting, photography, drawing, sculpture, collage, installation, illustration, ceramics, miniatures, and more—to offer a wide range of interpretations and raise awareness among all audiences, including children, of the beauty and fragility of these winged creatures. Although some iconic pieces cannot be displayed, the selection highlights the diversity and vulnerability of birds, with the hope of awakening tenderness and awareness of the urgent need to act to protect them.

Among the works on display, Mohammed Alani’s piece is particularly striking: a raven, traditionally associated with bad omens, is frozen in flight, embedded in a helmet that obstructs the vision of those walking in the opposite direction. This collision symbolizes the growing divide between the human world and the natural world, but also the consequences of our societal choices. Regardless of the beliefs associated with the raven, this work powerfully embodies the tensions of our time and reminds us that the survival of birds—and, beyond that, of biodiversity—now depends on our ability to rethink our relationship with living things.

Through this exhibition, art becomes a vehicle for raising awareness. Each work is an invitation to listen, observe, and above all, take action: reduce pesticide use, preserve hedgerows and wetlands, and support initiatives to protect endangered species. Because protecting birds also means protecting our shared future.”

Artists : Mohammed Alani, Priscilla Beccari, Lucile Bertrand, Claus Bremer, Jacques Charlier, Michel Couturier, Daniel Dutrieux, Louis-Auguste Déchelette, Anne Delrez pour La Conserverie, un lieu d’archives, Anne Garnier, Annabelle Guetatra, Thomas Gunzig, Alain Janssens, Valentine Laffitte, Jacques Lennep, Annick Lizein, Eric Loyens, Anna Mancuso, Jacqueline Mesmaecker, Pieter Laurens Mol, Tanja Mosblech, Jacques-Louis Nyst, Alain Paiement, Maurice Pirenne, Caroline Pholien, Catherine Versé, Lionel Vinche, Duo JJ von Panure (Leïla Fromaget et Anastasia Gaspard), Léon Wuidar

Opening Sunday 8 March, 3pm > 6pm
Thursdays > Sundays, 3pm > 6pm
Until Sunday 12.04

Location
Galerie LRS52
Rue Lairesse 52
4020 – Liège (BE)

More info about Lucile Bertrand