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Art

Richard Frater: Common Birds

New Zealander and Berlin-based artist Frater presents a 40-minute film made up of 330 photographic stills, taken by himself, Georgina Steytler and Scott Rogers. Catch it at Oracle before May 12.

Image for Richard Frater: Common Birds

Georgina Steytles, Common Birds

New Zealander and Berlin-based artist Frater presents a 40-minute film made up of 330 photographic stills, taken by himself, Georgina Steytler and Scott Rogers. Frater initiated the project, but all three “share an interest in ornithology and birds that have adapted to cities”. Each shot a specific bird in their respective locations of Western Australia, Buenos Aires and Berlin over the same weekend. Reading rather like a particularly literary bird spotter’s diary, the work also consists of texts each wrote about their quarry, equipment, chosen stalking locality and exploits over the weekend in question. There is disparity in the three’s technical ability: artist Frater’s northern goshawk in Tiergarten is often blurred in flight or has his back turned to the camera, whereas professional wildlife photographer Steylter captures her galahs up close, detailing every shocking pink feather with perfectly composed shots of them interacting with one another and the city. Frater’s amateurish innocence, especially in combination with the unusual urban wildlife environments and enchanting texts, adds something fantastical to what could have just been some pictures of birds.

Through May 12