Backyard Bash: Conference of the Birds
Exhibition Overview
On a treasure map, “X” marks the spot, but if you could experience a birds-eye view of historic Marvin Grove, you would discover that it is a heart-shaped area marking the treasured green space at the heart of KU. Nestled behind the Spencer Museum of Art and stretching from Memorial Drive to Memorial Stadium, this wooded hollow takes on a nest-like quality on a campus-wide scale. It is a place of respite for all Jayhawks and migratory visitors alike, and as the Museum’s backyard, it is a site of celebration for the interplay of nature, culture, and the character of our community for our 5th Annual Backyard Bash.
This year’s Backyard Bash is a month-long celebration anchored by the installation Conference of the Birds, a series of 13 sculptural “nests” created by KU students, commissioned by the Museum, and situated throughout the Grove. The artists are graduate and undergraduate students representing architecture, physics, social welfare, and visual art.
Conference of the Birds borrows its name from a 12th-century poem by Farid Ud-Din Attar in which a gathering of the world’s birds embark on a quest for a leader and spiritual truth to overcome the challenges of their world—many of which we face today. Different nests in the installation investigate themes of adaptation, shelter, sustainability, community care, and the human impact on our ecosphere. These ideas are also explored in the Museum's exhibition Audubon in the Anthropocene.
We invite you to embark on a quest for nests throughout the Grove. As the leaves fall, look up to spy nests created by inhabitants of the Grove and look around to engage with their artistic counterparts. Check our social media for hints about free activities and other surprises appearing in the installation throughout the month.
Student commission awards are generously supported by Steve Sears, the Jack and Lavon Brosseau Creativity Fund, and the Linda Inman Bailey Exhibitions Fund. Additional programming support is made possible by KU Student Senate.
