The project HIDES was commissioned in 2016 by Activate Arts for Inside Out Dorset Festival. The two pieces worked in tandem demonstrating the connection between migration of birds and migration of people and how climate change is affecting both. The giant nest was constructed over a week using Hazel coppice from nearby woods managed by The Woodland Trust. Visitors were encouraged to enter and sit for a while and reflect on their own personal migrations and consider those who have migrated from necessity not choice.
Sitting on the edge of the cliff was a stark white box depicting a border post type structure. with broken maps of more recent migratory paths. Out of one window a stretch of feathers tumbling out indicating toward the nest and out of the other, swallow shaped life jackets tumbling down the cliff and out to sea, becoming typical looking life jackets. A tanoy sitting on the top corner edge of the box calling out to sea ‘Welcome’ in various languages.
Other artists were brought in to collaborate to realise the concept. David Bernstein - Arborist and Creative builder. Craig Byrne - Sound designer. Emma Brierley - Maker and Map construction.
