Parakeet Lost: Casting Light on North America’s Forgotten Native Parrot.
Disciplines
Illustration | Interdisciplinary Arts and Media | Ornithology | Painting
Abstract (300 words maximum)
For centuries, the abundance of America’s avifauna was one of its most storied treasures. Early accounts spoke of mile-wide flocks, and forests and shorelines that bristled with feathers. Many of these birds are now gone, driven to extinction through human action and inaction, leaving only fading shadows upon collective memory. Among the vanished birds of the United States, one of the most unique was Conuropsis carolinensis, the country’s only endemic parrot. Though named for the area where it was first studied, the Carolina Parakeet was common throughout the lands east of the Rockies, noted for its tolerance of snow. It seems impossible that such a remarkable creature could have been forgotten within the span of a human life, yet only 84 years after the declaration of its extinction, few people today are aware that an American parrot ever existed. The purpose of this project is to investigate the distinctive characteristics of C. carolinensis, with the aim of constructing a compelling, multi-faceted portrait of this lost species. In-depth research will be conducted into the cultural and natural history of the bird and the causes of its disappearance, comprising an examination of first- and second-hand historical accounts and contemporary ornithological scholarship, as well as preserved biological specimens. Following in the strong tradition natural history illustration, the findings of this research will be synthesized as a series of paintings, executed in gouache on paper, accompanied by informational text. Collectively, this body of work, presented in the exhibition format, will encourage consideration of the countless creatures which today face oblivion, and invite deeper contemplation of the precarious position held by even the most exceptional of species.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
COTA - Art and Design
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Jonathan Fisher
Parakeet Lost: Casting Light on North America’s Forgotten Native Parrot.
For centuries, the abundance of America’s avifauna was one of its most storied treasures. Early accounts spoke of mile-wide flocks, and forests and shorelines that bristled with feathers. Many of these birds are now gone, driven to extinction through human action and inaction, leaving only fading shadows upon collective memory. Among the vanished birds of the United States, one of the most unique was Conuropsis carolinensis, the country’s only endemic parrot. Though named for the area where it was first studied, the Carolina Parakeet was common throughout the lands east of the Rockies, noted for its tolerance of snow. It seems impossible that such a remarkable creature could have been forgotten within the span of a human life, yet only 84 years after the declaration of its extinction, few people today are aware that an American parrot ever existed. The purpose of this project is to investigate the distinctive characteristics of C. carolinensis, with the aim of constructing a compelling, multi-faceted portrait of this lost species. In-depth research will be conducted into the cultural and natural history of the bird and the causes of its disappearance, comprising an examination of first- and second-hand historical accounts and contemporary ornithological scholarship, as well as preserved biological specimens. Following in the strong tradition natural history illustration, the findings of this research will be synthesized as a series of paintings, executed in gouache on paper, accompanied by informational text. Collectively, this body of work, presented in the exhibition format, will encourage consideration of the countless creatures which today face oblivion, and invite deeper contemplation of the precarious position held by even the most exceptional of species.