Bird Song: A Genealogy of Messengers

Since ancient times, birds have always been among the living creatures most closely linked to humankind. In regions around the world, birds have been a constant presence in myths, and the songs of birds have been seen as integral to the development of human music and speech, while birds make frequent appearances in the works of contemporary artists. This project features art by artists with a profound relationship to birds, such as Chris Watson, who records the songs of forest birds, as well as materials relating to birds and to myths, magic, and music, including Sue ware (unglazed pottery made from the middle of the Kofun through the Heian era) with bird-shaped knobs, which have only been excavated from archaeological sites in the Tokai region. Presenting diverse representations of birds spanning numerous eras and cultures, this project is an opportunity to reexamine the messages that birds have been transmitting to humankind over the ages.