Bird Flew

2006-07

Modified vintage paper fans, mirrors, hardware

Each fan measures 18 x 27 cm

Bird Flew is an installation of vintage paper fans from which flocks of birds have been cut. The fans were originally handed out in churches in the USA, before air-conditioning, to advertise local funeral homes and mortuaries. They are installed with the funeral home advertisement facing out, and the image on the back only visible in a fan-shaped mirror on the wall. With the ad emphasized and the image restricted, Bird Flew offers us a reminder of our own impending mortality. Referencing the tradition of covering mirrors when someone dies, each installation both reflects the past and offers us a glimpse into the future.
Bird Flew (Taparrabo installation, Ex Teresa Arte Actual)
Bird Flew ( Taparrabo installation, Ex Teresa Arte Actual)
Bird Flew (Taparrabo installation detail)
Bird Flew (Taparrabo installation detail)
Bird Flew (A. Kron Undertaking Co. front)
A.Kron (back)
Bird Flew (Muschany Funeral Home front)
Bird Flew (Muschany Funeral Home front)
Bird Flew (Nulton Funeral Home back)
Bird Flew (Nulton Funeral Home front)
Bird Flew group front view
Bird Flew group back
Bird Flew (Installation detail)
Copyright Robert Waters and collaborators 2025.
Copyright Robert Waters and collaborators 2025.