What does it mean to share space with nonhuman life in an increasingly urbanized environment? “Flight Patterns [1],” a new exhibition at Rhythmix Cultural Works [2], asks viewers to slow down and notice tiny hummingbirds and subtle shifts of seasonal migration. Curated by local birder, musician, and writer Deborah Crooks, this show brings together eight artists working across photography, painting, ceramics, printmaking, and mixed media, each capturing what Alameda’s birds mean to them.
[3]Dozens of visitors flocked to the opening reception on March 13 to learn more about Alameda’s birdlife through art. Alameda is a crucial waypoint for birds—more than 200 species have been documented on the island, including the endangered least tern [4]. The peregrine falcon’s [5] return to urban nesting sites has also become one of the Bay Area’s conservation success stories. The artworks displayed in Rhythmix Cultural Works’ K Gallery range from detailed, scientific renderings to more abstract and expressive pieces that capture the ways birds move.
Artist Dana Zed takes inspiration from the vibrant patterns that emerge when we pay attention to birds in between the sky and mankind below. Dana makes her birds expressive and humanized, giving them eyebrows and flaws like selfishness and greed.
[6]Another featured artist is Brice Binder, who has shared a Two Birds From Alameda [7] comic strip in the Alameda Post every week since August of 2022. In his first zine collection of the comic, he writes, “I loved growing up here. Alameda was so much better back then in so many ways. I love that my boys get to grow up here. Alameda is so much better now in so many ways.” Brice, who handed out stickers at the reception, brings that love for Alameda and its birds to his funny comic strips.
[8]Featured alongside Brice’s work is that of Jean Chen, an Alameda artist and writer who regularly contributes news and feature stories to the Post.
[9]Along with the hyperlocal comic strips, Flavia Krasilchik’s sculptures of birds who have comically anthropomorphized breasts add levity to the exhibit. Born and raised in Brazil, Krasilchik makes whimsical, slightly absurd sculptures. According to a Rhythmix social media post, Krasilchik “chose to live in Alameda because it is a place where urban meets nature in total harmony and grace, providing me the source of inspiration to create my ceramic sculptures and whimsical creatures.”
We must take seriously the responsibility of acting as stewards of this land.
[10]Curator Deborah Crooks introduced the artists and the aim of the exhibit in a speech during the reception. In conversation, she then reflected on how lucky we are to live in a place with protected bird species that you can’t find anywhere else in the Bay. She asks us to remember to be careful on paths and not go through fences when we explore spaces like the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary [11]. We must take seriously the responsibility of acting as stewards of this land.
The colorful and thoughtful art at the K Gallery gives us an opportunity to enjoy the creativity of casual birdwatchers and conservationists alike. For Alameda residents, this exhibit further reminds us that our wildlife is something to be proud of and celebrate. The island is part of a larger network of movement that stretches across continents and seasons, and it’s crucial that we treat our natural environment with care.
This exhibition connects to a larger upcoming artistic project: Crooks’s folk opera, Flight Lessons [12]. This folk opera will return to Rhythmix for a second year on April 17 at 7 p.m. The performance is inspired by peregrine falcons nesting on Oakland’s Fruitvale Bridge. Like “Flight Patterns,” the folk opera centers questions of home and explores entanglements of human and avian life in the built environment.
“Flight Patterns,” which features works by Brice Binder, Laura (Tex) Buss, Jean Chen, Flavia Krasilchik, Rick Lewis, Mary Malec, Christopher Reiger, and Dana Zed, runs through April 24 at 2513 Blanding Avenue. Gallery hours are by appointment only; email [email protected] [13] for more info.
Vivian Delchamps Wolf (English PhD, UCLA, 2022) is a professor of English at Dominican University of California and a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. She is also a disability justice advocate, ballroom dancer, cat lover, and board game enthusiast. Contact her via [email protected] [14] Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vivan-Delchamps-Wolf [15].