nest

One would typically think that birds belong in a nest, right? Well how about cats, dogs and humans? Loved the new media installation of NEST at the Taubman Museum located in my home town of Roanoke, Virginia.

Entering the dark media room you’re presented with a large mural projecting on the wall. Treetops of the Appalachian Trail, complete with the sounds of chirping birds.

The artist, Simone Paterson, constructed nests from Virginia creeper, grape vines and aluminum and lined them with a quilted felt. As your eyes begin to adjust, one nest contains cats, the other dogs and the largest of them all, humans. All deep in sleep with soft sounds emerging from their breathing. Every once in a while, a slight movement in the projection.

Paterson does a brilliant job of making the visitor feel a part of the scene, a sense of belonging in this environment he created. Oh, and his reason for the creation? He recently became an American citizen and says the NEST was the visualization of making Appalachia his home.

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