Conference for the Birds by Marcus Coates at Out of place at the Hatton Gallery

'In the summer of 2018 the research project Mapping Contemporary Art in the Heritage Experience commissioned five new contemporary artworks for heritage sites in North East England. Out of Place re-presents these artworks within the context of the Hatton Gallery, prompting a questioning of how art changes when it is relocated from its original site. Out of Place features commissioned sound-works, installation, painting and sculpture by Susan Philipsz, Matt Stokes, Fiona Curran, Andrew Burton, Marcus Coates and Mark Fairnington.'

I was enthralled by Conference for the Birds by Marcus Coates. 




The main installation takes place at Cherryburn, the birthplace of Thomas Bewick. It responds specifically to Thomas Bewick’s publication the History of British Birds (1797) which bought his detailed wood engravings and information about the bird’s lives to a mass audience for the first time. Visitors to Cherryburn can experience seven of Bewick’s engravings depicted as life-size birds gathered round the fireplace discussing their lives, knowledge and culture.

Taking inspiration from the birds Bewick immortalised in his engravings and recorded in his ground breaking book 'A History of British Birds', Conference for the Birds brings to life Bewick’s work for visitors in a new and contemporary way; shining a spotlight on the historical significance of Cherryburn and challenges facing wildlife and nature today.


The work is presented in a slightly different fashion in the Hatton Gallery. Several seats are positioned around a large table, on which are placards with the names of a number of bird species. Visitors are invited to take a seat among the birds for a unique insight into a bird’s perspective of the world. The birds, each researched and played by wildlife experts, discuss topics from migration to predation, with each species recounting their day to day experiences.

By exploring the lives of the birds that Bewick studied and recorded, Conference of the Birds reveals how many of the experiences and challenges faced by wildlife relate to our own, and how relevant they are today as when the Bewick’s book was first published over 200 years ago.

Marcus comments “I think there is value in this attempted shift in outlook as it creates unexpected lines of questioning and enquiry. This 'play' can also reveal just as much about us to ourselves than it does about the birds.”