Vrije vogels

Abstract

Vrije vogels is an artwork, temporarily installed in Amstelveen’s public space (The Netherlands) as part of the art route Biotoop (9 July - 25 September 2022). Its inspiration was found in the charm bracelet, a classic and storytelling type of jewellery. The silhouettes are based on bird charms and include the spotted woodpecker, the grey heron, the raven, the kingfisher and the crow: birds that fly around in the Amsterdamse Bos - an entirely man-made forest - but are increasingly found in urban environments. Together, they temporarily perch at the edge of the forest, where the landscaped greenery abruptly turns to concrete. In their beaks and talons, the birds hold a chain of links that they lay on the boundary between their natural habitat and an inhabited environment.