Collections

Bird of the Devil

Contributor: Marra, Michael · 1952-2012Contributor: Dow, RosalieContributor: Glenday, John · b. 1952Contributor: Duncan, BillContributor: The Lonely Piper · b. 1999Contributor: O'Connor, Lee · b. 1982Contributor: Guy, [Alexander] Sandy · b. 1962Publisher: ET4U · b. 1999Contributor: Crooks, TommieContributor: Robertson, James · b. 1958

Bird of the Devil

Bird of the Devil was a collaborative project dreamt up and begun on the Summer Isles. Summerton edited the images he found in Ladybird natural…

Bird of the Devil was a collaborative project dreamt up and begun on the Summer Isles. Summerton edited the images he found in Ladybird natural history series of books on birds from the 1960s, illustrated by John Leigh-Pemberton. Summerton painted directly onto the pages using gouache and replicated the original style of painting. 17 of the resulting images were then sent to artist and writer friends, who devised names and interpretation for the new species of birds Summerton had created. The images and interpretation were then combined to create the publication. When the work was first exhibited at the ET4U Artcentre in Denmark it was accompanied by a track of reversed birdsong. More information on the work can be found in the artist’s file and in an interview between the artist and RSA Collections Curator, Sandy Wood (on backup drive and CD)

Bird of the Devil
Published by ET4U, Denmark 2006.
ISBN 87-991279-0-8
Edition of 500 - each numbered.
40 pages, 18 full colour images, includes a CD of related bird song.

Publication supported by:
The Scottish Arts Council.
Fine Art Research, University of Dundee.
The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland.

Text by:
Michael Marra, Laura Hird, Graham Fagen, James Robertson, Neil Mulholland, Norman Shaw, Robert Crawford, Alison Smith, Lee O'Connor, The Lonely Piper, Sandy Guy, Bill Duncan, Derrick Guild, John Glenday, Rosalie Dow, Don Paterson, Tommy Crooks, Jenny Brownrigg.

Bird of the Devil published in connection with a one person installation of altered book illustrations and recording of reversed bird song at ET4U Art Centre, Denmark, 2nd April - 24th June, 2006.

Exhibition supported by:
The Danish Arts Council's Committee for the Visual Arts.
The Committee for the International Visual Art.
Leader+, Ringkoebing.
District Council, Ringkoebing.
Municipality, Lemvig.
Cultural Council, Lemvig.
The members of the association ET4U.
PVAF.

© Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture