Migrations Spoonbill 6

Bird 6, like all the birds in the Migrations installation, emits sounds triggered by a motion sensor. The bird call is sampled from a recording of the Roseate Spoonbill in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The bottles that hang from its neck were found during my first visit to McAllen, where I scavenged in the reeds by the Rio Grande in search of migrant dropped artifacts. There is a necklace that says "te amo" entwined in the ear buds that were also found. Stuffed into the bottles are pieces of Homeland Security bags, found by border activist and artist, Scott Nicol, and mailed to me for use in my project. These site-specific elements in the work helps to convey much of the meaning behind the installation. 

About Migrations:

Cynthia Minet was commissioned to make the solo installation by the International Museum of Art and Science in McAllen, Texas. Located in the 60 x 30 foot central gallery, Migrations is an illuminated and interactive exhibit of five suspended sculptures and one floor piece. It is accompanied by a two wall-mounted drawings shown in the entry way of the gallery, and a documentary film shown on a monitor outside the gallery. The installation is site-responsive, composed mainly from recycled plastic debris from Los Angeles, but also incorporating found materials gathered from the borderlands region of the Rio Grande Valley. The works interpret the Roseate Spoonbill aquatic bird in various stages of flight. Light sequencing, and motion-activated sounds of wing beats, running water, bird calls, footsteps through grasses, etc., create a sense of movement and mystery in the darkened gallery space.  The installation points to current environmental and political issues around human and avian migration, the humanitarian crisis of the borderlands, and the threat of species extinction due to environmental degradation. 

Of memories, movement and multi-media explorations

Rooted in photography yet always pushing beyond its boundaries, Hania Farrell’s practice reveals a rich tapestry of influences — including a few she’s only recently come to recognise herself. In this wide-ranging conversation, the Lebanese-born, London-based artist tells Artscoops how the science of space sits at the core of her process, layered...

— Read the full interview

Zooming in on Tintera: Cairo’s oasis for photography

Zein Khalifa and Heba Farid are co-founders of Tintera, Egypt’s first gallery dedicated solely to fine art photography. Here, they talk to Artscoops about building on the country’s longstanding popularity with photographers to promote and champion this key medium as a serious art form.Zein Khalifa & Heba Farid, ©Freddy EskarosEgypt enjoys a...

— Read the full interview

Building bridges and breaking boundaries through art

Hamza Bounoua, curator of Algeria’s International Festival of Contemporary Art, speaks to Ahmad Minkara about what visitors can expect from the 9th edition of an event that is rapidly reaffirming its standing on the international art calendar.Hamza Bounoua, curator of the International Cultural Festival of Contemporary ArtThe 9th edition of the...

— Read the full interview

Ramzi Mallat displays ‘Not Your Martyr’ at V&A South Kensington for London’s Art Fair season

Cultural identity and collective memory are among the themes explored by London-based Lebanese artist. Ramzi MallatThe year 2025 is quite a significant one for Lebanon, which makes the prominent positioning of an installation by the London-based Lebanese artist Ramzi Mallat at the V&A South Kensington’s Medieval and Renaissance Gallery...

— Read the full interview

From White Cube to Blue Skies: Dr Omar Kholeif on masterminding a milestone exhibition

Conceived as a ‘love letter’ to London and extending from Lisson Gallery’s venues onto the streets, it’s easy to see why ‘Finding My Blue Sky’ became one of the most talked-about art exhibitions of Summer 2025. The monumental project, featuring works by 30 international artists from diverse backgrounds and eras, was curated and ‘choreographed’...

— Read the full interview

‘The Alchemist’: a deeply meaningful metaphor

Showcasing works on themes rooted in transformation, ‘The Alchemist’, a major exhibition by Ali Banisadr at Katonah Museum of Art, New York, was certainly aptly named. Ahmad Minkara learns more about how the Iranian-born American artist’s experiences in both Tehran and the US have prompted him to dig below the surface and, in turn, informed his...

— Read the full interview