Published by Atelier EXB, this seventeenth title in the Des oiseaux (The Birds) collection, photographer Nathalie Baetens invites us to discover the micro-habitats of birds from around the world. Small cabins, huts, straw huts, small houses—the formal variety is ingenious and aesthetic—suspended in the air or firmly anchored to branches, or hidden in thick foliage, the nests photographed by Nathalie Baetens fascinate with their construction diversity and delicacy.
Des oiseaux
Nests of the Sumatran weaver, the Cape Horn chingolo sparrow, or the Touraine blackbird all appear to be small masterpieces, as each bird species builds its “home” like an architect: its design, shape, size, and structure all reflect the bird’s creativity and knowledge. A true micro-habitat intended for the survival of future offspring, the nest must be functional, both comfortable and protective, to fight against the cold and bad weather, as well as potential predators. It thus takes on a variety of forms, becoming discreet or deterrent. Photographed on ultra-sensitive film in diffused natural light and placed against a white background, Nathalie Baetens’ nests are presented in the style of an inventory. The photographer regards them as fragile and mysterious primitive sculptures; the softness of the image’s grain invites contemplation. The viewer’s eye then glides over the surface of the material, following the curves of the constructive lines. It discovers the delicate and skillful network of braided fibers, a strand of wool or a small fragment of metal that acts as a link or stabilizing weight, tiny layers of moss meticulously superimposed, skillfully cobbled together amalgams of dry earth, twigs and tiny leaves that become tapestries, or even reused down that evokes tender quilts for the future brood. Throughout the images, these small, often ephemeral, structures reveal an unsuspected inventiveness, regardless of the species or geographical region.
(Nathalie Chapuis, excerpt from the book)
Atelier EXB : Nathalie Baetens : Des oiseaux
Photographs
Nathalie Baetens
Texts
Fiona Meadows
Interview between Nathalie Baetens and Philippe Séclier
Nathalie Chapuis
Two versions: French and English
Hardcover, 20.5 x 26 cm
96 pages
54 black and white photographs
ISBN FR: 9782365114295
ISBN ENG: 9782365114318
Price: €39 including VAT
Limited Edition
In a slipcase, numbered from 1 to 30, including the book Birds and a signed and numbered print, size: 20 x 25.5 cm
