Avian art takes flight

The Pre-Columbian artifacts showcased in Flights of Fancy, a new exhibit at Dumbarton Oaks, aren’t as overtly flashy as the dazzling gold necklaces and chest plates in the museum’s permanent collection. But look a little closer: unparalleled craftsmanship and cultural significance make up for the pieces’ lack of modern bling. Although birds are one of the most recognizable and enduring images in art, this small museum, only a few blocks from campus (at 32nd and R Streets), is “actually one of the first to dedicate an entire exhibit solely to the exploration of birds as artistic symbols,” Miriam Doutriaux, curator of the show, said.

The exhibit seeks to convey the intersection of fine craftsmanship with deep political and supernatural meanings. The value of these pieces may have been more symbolic than monetary, but the materials themselves are nonetheless remarkable: there’s a wall hanging made entirely of vivid blue and gold macaw feathers, painstakingly stitched together, and threaded into an underlying fabric; the fans and tunics, coated in brilliantly colored parrot feathers, are meticulously crafted by folding each individual feather around plant fibers.

The items displayed are the work of master weavers, goldsmiths, and sculptors—luxuries only the ruling class of priests and warriors could afford. The wearing or possession of these objects demonstrated the wearer’s socio-economic status and their “supernatural” abilities, personality traits, and achievements.
“The link between birds and power was so engrained in these cultures that to wear clothing influenced by birds was to absorb their sacred powers,” Doutriaux said. This logic—that the more birds on your clothing, the greater your power—led to the almost laughable depictions of kings and warriors with bird heads sprouting from nearly every surface of their body.

The exhibit is good at what it does. Small and focused, it provides a brief overview of a particular motif in Pre-Columbian art. “The limited amount of items makes the exhibit manageable and not overwhelming,” Kristen Gonzalez, co-curator of the exhibit, said. Still, the exhibit could include more artifacts. The detailed explanations of bird imagery in the exhibit’s text aren’t completely illustrated by the limited items on display. It’s difficult to understand the pervasive influence of the bird motif in sculpture by looking at just one example. For something so focused in its theme, it could use a few more works to help drum up interest in the wild world of bird art.