Fiona Pardington’s recent photographs of birds have a haunting quality to them. These are actual specimens, captured in ethereal light, showcasing their unique plumage and expressions. However, there is a sense of eeriness as these birds are no longer alive. Some of them are even extinct. Pardington, with her Māori and Scottish heritage, offers a unique perspective on nature through these images. These photos, part of her series Taharaki Skyside, will be featured in her exhibition at the Aotearoa New Zealand Pavilion at the Venice Biennale this year.
Pardington’s striking portraits of native New Zealand birds are all taken in natural history collections across the country. These images depict the intricate details of birds like the Fiordland penguin, with its dramatic yellow crest resembling eyebrows, the South Island Takahe, previously thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1948, and the Tūī, known for its white throat tuft.
Her series also draws inspiration from literary works, particularly Dante’s Divine Comedy, which places Purgatory on a Southern Hemisphere island-mountain. The concept of transitioning between realms is echoed in the preserved bird specimens, showcasing the diversity of life while no longer possessing it. Pardington explains, “Some birds, like the huia and whēkau (laughing owl), are long extinct; many others remain critically vulnerable.”
These images, set within museum settings, reflect an era of collecting where prized specimens were hunted and killed to be preserved for posterity. While controversial, this practice still lingers today, as seen in instances like a researcher who killed a kingfisher in 2015 for research purposes.
For Pardington, birds symbolize familial love, romantic attachments, and ecological warnings. They also serve as reminders of mortality and can represent individuals in her life. Beyond their scientific value, birds hold a sacred significance for the Māori people, known as manu, acting as messengers between worlds. These “captured” birds shed light on how museums frame cultural narratives, shaping our understanding of Indigenous communities’ histories and legacies.
The endemic species highlighted by Pardington are often rare, like the kākā kura, a color morph of the more common kākā parrot. These birds play essential roles in Māori culture as sources of food and materials and as intermediaries between humans and the divine.
Experience Taharaki Skyside at the Venice Biennale from May 9 to November 22, and explore more of Pardington’s work on her Instagram.
