# Pigeons and Contemporary Art: An Illustrated Critical Framework

##### Patrick Steadman

### This guide will help you understand the important role of pigeons in contemporary art.

**Updated 2021-01-01**

This project has been moved to a collaborative [Are.na Channel](https://www.are.na/computer-lab/pigeons-in-contemporary-art-sjggywarysu).

**Updated 2020-03-11**

(This is a living document, the current goal is to create a representative list of pigeon works with good illustrations + metadata. Then, these works will be further categorized based on how the artist treats the pigeon as subject, material, collaborator, or symbol.)

#### Performances or installations where live pigeons were involved

- [Duke Riley: Fly By Night](http://creativetime.org/projects/flybynight/)
- [Duke Riley: Trading With The Enemy](http://www.dukeriley.info/trading-with-the-enemy)
- [Julian Charrière: Some Pigeons Are More Equal Than Others](http://www.julian-charriere.net/projects/some-pigeons-are-more-equal-than-others)
- [Carsten Höller: Eyeball - house for pigeons, humans and rats (with Rosemarie Trockel)](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carsten_H%C3%B6ller)

#### Installations where dead pigeons were installed

- [Maurizio Cattelan: Turisti](https://www.perrotin.com/artists/Maurizio_Cattelan/2/turisti/21559)
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#### Video works where pigeons were camera operators

- [Pat McCarthy: BABYLON PIGEONS #8 - Flying Ace Homing Pigeon with Mini Camera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krZho4qGllE&t=536s)
- [Aranda/Lasch: The Brooklyn Pigeon Project](http://arandalasch.com/works/the-brooklyn-pigeon-project/)

#### Video works where pigeons performed as actors

- [Amalia Ulman: Bob Life](http://privilege.amaliaulman.eu/boblife.html)
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- [Amalia Ulman: Privilege](http://privilege.amaliaulman.eu/index.html)

#### Works where pigeon feathers, eggs, etc. were used as material

- [Amalia Ulman: The Humble Origins of Bob the Pigeon](http://www.palomapowers.com/flora-powers-shop/amalia-ulman)
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#### Works where pigeons are depicted

- [Tristan Higginbotham: If I sees you - I will seize you - and I’ll squeeze you - till you squirt](https://www.tristanhigginbotham.com/if-i-sees-you-1)
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- [Pat McCarthy: NikNak’s City Cart](https://www.patmccarthy.net/niknaks-city-cart)
- [Manuel Ferreiro Badía: Plaza de Pontevedra](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Coru%C3%B1a_-_Plaza_de_Pontevedra_2.JPG)
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- [Mother Pigeon: soft sculptures](https://www.instagram.com/motherpigeonbrooklyn/?hl=en)
- [Adele Renault: pigeon murals](https://www.adelerenault.com/)
- [Jasper van den Brink: Pigeons Don’t Fly at Night](https://news.artnet.com/art-world/dutch-artist-accuses-duke-riley-pigeon-plagiarism-507761)
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#### Conceptual works where pigeons were involved

- [Google: PigeonRank April Fool’s Prank](https://archive.google.com/pigeonrank/)
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##### Patrick Steadman