Exhibition Provides A "Caw" To Action
The works of five Nova Scotian artists have been gathered by the Museum of Natural History, in partnership with Argyle Fine Art, as part of an engaging and evocative tribute to a creature familiar to most Nova Scotians -- the crow. Five Crows Silver opens on Saturday, May 29 at the Museum of Natural History in Halifax.
Crows are not only familiar in our daily lives, they are also conspicuous elements in popular culture and folklore. The exhibit's title borrows its name from a centuries-old "counting crows" rhyme and offers a mystical interpretation of these birds.
"Crows are often passionately liked or disliked by people," said Adriana Afford, director of Argyle Fine Art in Halifax, "so it is not surprising that they tend to be a recurring theme in various types of artwork including literature, music and especially the visual arts."
The exhibition continues this tradition through the presentation of 33 works by visual artists, Rose Adams, Alan Bateman, Taiya Barss, Malcolm Callaway and Ivan Murphy. Through their own unique style and artistic approach, each of the featured artists offers a different perspective and artistic response to crows and their close relatives.
The museum is supplementing the artistic component of Five Crows Silver with displays of current research and specimens pertaining to crows and their role in monitoring West Nile virus. The displays will present information on how West Nile affects crows in particular as well as other animals, including people.
"Crows belong to the family Corvidae and are considered to be among the most intelligent of all birds," said Andrew Hebda, museum zoologist. "They are truly gregarious and engage in a wide range of social interactions that, when not for food or mating purposes, can be considered to be play."
Five Crows Silver offers a unique opportunity to consider crows through five distinct and exciting artistic expressions while discovering the environmental complexity of how a simple and beautiful bird can be so devastated by a complex disease such as West Nile virus.
"This show is special in marrying the worlds of art and science and engaging the viewer to reflect on the highly intelligent, mystical, often playful bird and its future in our world," said Ms. Afford.
In Nova Scotia, the American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, is what most people will see. The raven, blue jay and grey jay (or whiskey jack) also belong to the corvid family and are widespread in this part of the world.
Five Crows Silver is on display from Saturday, May 29 until Oct. 31 at the Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer St., Halifax.