Mirror Image
Greg Moneta
Mirror Image is an installation piece that highlights the annual slaughter of migratory birds in Toronto’s city centre as a result of urban architecture and light pollution. The work is intended as an abstract commentary on Man’s indifference to and responsibility for this deadly assault on nature. Symbolic elements of the piece include feathers, light and reflective glass. The feathers incorporated in the installation were collected from migratory birds that died from colliding into buildings.
Participants are invited to control lights that while illuminated reveal the ethereal remains of birds who have collided with suspended glass panes representing the modern cityscape. The ubiquitous wall-mounted light switch is significant as it alludes to the direct cause/effect role of Man in this issue and to the availability of solutions. Glass plays a significant role in the piece, mirroring the viewer’s role, dangerous building practices and the repetitive negative effects of light pollution.
My principle objective in creating Mirror Image is to frame a contemporary and local issue about which I am passionate. Bird conservation is commonly a low profile issue in large cities. Most people are unaware that several million birds die each year after flying into the reflective glass on city centre towers during spring and fall migrations. Light pollution from the city at night and the daytime reflection from large glass structures disorient birds, rendering their natural defenses ineffective.
Recent urban landscape obstacles have not dampened the centuries-old instincts that drive migratory birds. Having seen first-hand the carnage that literally rains from the skies, my hope is that my piece will raise awareness and accountability and incite change. I feel the piece has relevance in today’s growing environmentally-conscious culture, where birds are understood to be an essential part of a healthy ecology. It is time to look in the mirror and re-establish a mutually beneficial and sustainable relationship with nature.