You don’t need binoculars at the slightly subversive installation at The New Museum featuring dozens of fantastical avian creatures.
The Parade is Nathalie Djurberg’s collaboration with musician Hans Berg, which fills the space at Studio 231 (to the right of the museum’s main entrance). As you poke and pick your way among the feathered flock (actually painted canvas, wire, and other assembled materials), you may feel a little unsettled. Then you’ll notice several video screens on the walls in which the animated people and creatures do, well….not so nice things.
Djurberg’s known for her animated films in which her animated clay sculptures do horrible things. She says that in order to position her little characters correctly, she often has to act out the parts so she can understand how to portray the movements during the tedious shot-by-shot animation process.
As you watch surrounded by the bird parade, Berg’s music often layers sweet sounds on top of some disturbing candy-colored images, making your safari through 231 more than a little unnerving.
This Swedish team was originally commissioned by the Walker in Minneapolis. Download the audio guide to The Parade and take the journey.