Belonging
This piece draws on the Satin Bowerbird, a species in which males construct elaborate bowers to attract mates. They gather and arrange objects, often brightly colored or reflective, creating displays that are judged by the females. Over time, these preferences shape the form and behavior of the species.
Within the bower, a video presents Tinder profiles, with human faces replaced by those of birds. Courtship becomes a curated display, assembled, edited, and evaluated at a distance.
The desire to be seen remains, but the terms have shifted. Identity is constructed through selection and presentation, forming a hybrid of who we are and how we wish to be perceived. Value is assigned through attention, and the act of looking becomes entangled with the act of choosing.