Chorus I by Reena Kallat

Chorus I by Reena Kallat at Compton Verney.

This installation that stands at the entrance of the building, is modelled on devices used in WWII to pick up sounds of enemy aircraft. Called 'acoustic mirrors', these took many forms and were used by armies on both sides of the conflict as early warning systems.

Here Reena Kallat has replaced the sounds of war machines with bird song. Singing in unison are the national birds of countries with shared borders and turbulent histories Though appropriated as national symbols, the birds are unaware of human hostilities, and inhabit both territories. Citizens of a terrain and climate that no one country can claim ownership to, the interlaced chorus of freely drifting bird song alludes to nature's defiance of artificially imposed, human-made divisions.

Birds featured:

The Secretary Bird (Sudan) singing with the African Fish Eable (South SUdan)

The Sunbird (Palestine) singing with the Hoopoe (Israel)

The Nightingale (Croatia) singing with the Eagle (Serbia)

The Saker Falcon (Austria) singing with the Barn Swallow (Hungary)

The Robin (IK) singing with the Lapwing (Ireland)

The Crested Carara (Mexico) singing with the Eagle (US)

The Eagle (US) singing with the Cuban Trogon (Cuba)

The Clay Coloured Thrush (Costa Rica) singing with the Turquoise Browed Motmot (Nicaragua)