About the Exhibition
Birds in Art: Devotion and Decadence surveys the visual arts to consider the ways birds have been exploited and revered as objects and symbols. Birds have been a source of inspiration throughout human history. From the shimmering delicacy of a hummingbird’s wings to the transcendent grace of an eagle in flight, birds evoke both the wonder of nature and our fascination with the spiritual realm. Birds are a source of nourishment, influence fashion and luxury, captivate the imaginations of natural scientists, and embody salvation as representations of the divine. This exhibition invites viewers to consider birds as spiritual messengers and objects of human consumption through images of them as subjects of reverence, luxury, game, and scientific study.
About Art Museum Practices
Art Museum Practices is a hands on curriculum in the University of Toledo’s Department of Art that introduces students to the purpose and function of art museums through experiential learning. The program culminates in the professional experience of curating an exhibition in a Toledo Museum of Art gallery using works from the permanent collection. The website and promotional materials for this exhibition were created by students in the Graphic and Interactive Design Concentration.
About Black Swamp Bird Observatory
Black Swamp Bird Observatory is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring appreciation, enjoyment, and conservation of birds and their habitats through research, education, and outreach. Founded in 1992 by migration biologists, BSBO has become a leading center for avian research and youth education, serving more than 5,000 students annually while supporting conservation efforts throughout the region. The Biggest Week in American Birding, BSBO’s spring birding festival now in its 16th year, draws thousands of birders from around the world every year to Northwest Ohio to experience “The Warbler Capital of the World.
We want you here. If there is anything we can do to make your experience more accessible, please contact Access Initiatives at access@toledomuseum.org. Requests should be made as far in advance as possible, as last-minute accommodations may not be feasible.
