NEW BEDFORD - The New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! announces the opening of a new exhibit, Birds of the First Light and Longhouses: The Prints of John James Audubon. The exhibition, on display through Oct. 14, in the Museum’s Skylight Gallery is in a specially designed area with books about birds. Overhead, a flock of birds are in flight, and on select dates hands-on experiences await. Combine that with the gallery lighting — the prints are too sensitive to sustain anything harsher — and you've got yourself a solid date spot, perfect for peeking into after a walk through downtown.
The immersive nature of the exhibit is also meant to make visitors think deeply about conservation, just as Audubon did. Janice Hodson, curator of art for the Special Collections Department of the New Bedford Free Public Library, provides a narrative of Audubon’s time in New Bedford in the Museum’s City Gallery. The exhibition includes an educational wall to help illustrate the ups and downs of populations over the years, as informative displays drive home the decline of endangered species, such as the piping plover.
Audubon (1785-1851) was a scientist, observer, artist, and naturalist. A man of many trades, he enjoyed playing the fiddle, teaching swordsmanship, drawing, and writing. His passion for birds, ecology and the bridging of art and science set the stage for American conservation, and of course his mission is reflected in the work of the National Audubon Society today. From a young age, Audubon was obsessed by one idea: to observe, record, and publish images of all the birds of North America “with a semblance of life.” In the folio’s enormous pages — each more than three-feet high — Audubon captured the full range of avian life in North America, including many exotic creatures. The museum and the New Bedford Free Public Library recognize Audubon’s portrayals as both important natural history documents and dazzling works of art.
Audubon was one of the nation’s greatest artists, and he depicted birds in novel ways. He was the first person to show them life-size and interacting with one another in characteristic behaviors, and he also represented different ages, and seasonal plumages of the same species. Audubon’s images are valued not only because they include some species that have become extinct, but also because they call attention to the need for the conservation of birds, wildlife, and their habitats.
Birds of the First Light and Longhouses: The Prints of John James Audubon also looks at the positive side, as many avian species populations are growing in the North East. The exhibition of Audubon’s first edition double-elephant folio of The Birds of America prints will start with 31 bird species that are declining today on exhibit in New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!’s Skylight Gallery. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, the prints will slowly be replaced, a few at a time, by 31 species of birds that are increasing in New England and New York.
The exhibition evolves, beckoning bird lovers to return to the museum for something new several times throughout the run of the exhibition. Many of the 60 engravings have not been seen in more than 30 years!
To learn more about the exhibition, programming, and support The Audubon Preservation Partnership visit: newbedfordart.org/audubon-2018.
NBAM/ArtWorks! is located at 608 Pleasant Street, New Bedford. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and noon to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, visit www.newbedfordart.org or call 508-961-3072.