Description
From Exhibition for Chickens! The lockdown exhibition held by art film-maker Jared Schiller in his back yard, for his chickens. Audience also included goats and ducks. Jared goes into detail on his youtube channel. Exhibition for Chickens I think is a world first, and also featured work by George Shaw, Jyll Bradley, Goshka Macuga, Richard Wentworth and many more.
I wanted to make an artwork for the chickens. I took some screenshots from Jared’s feed (geddit) and saw a very fine chicken, whom I now know is called Cleopatra. I drew Cleo in the hope that he (it’s a he) might see himself and recognise himself – like a parrot can do when given a mirror. The title is Mad World – for many humans the world seems to be in a state of “madness” due to the virus. But for the chickens, it’s business as usual, it’s pretty much the same for a chicken now as it was last summer. I think. This is also the Mad World of Tears for Fears, then covered by “Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules”. I wonder if the chickens care for Tears for Fears, Gary Jules or Michael Andrews. What do the words mean? This artwork is about reaching out to the chickens, as if trying to communicate with another planet. Could they perhaps find that this musical notation is a shorthand for music, and compose their own? Chickens like consonance, as opposed to dissonance. They might like Gary Jules’ work with Michael Andrews on a cover of Tears for Fears.
The artwork was placed on the chicken feeder. We’re still awaiting feedback, and maybe a song, from the chickens.
Original: pencil and coloured pencil on music score.