|
|
| Peggy Macnamara |
Peggy Macnamara's New Book, Architecture by Birds and Insects: A Natural Art
(University of Chicago Press)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|  |
University of Chicago writes:
Influential American architect Philip Johnson once mused, "All architecture
is shelter; all great architecture is the design of space that contains,
cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space." But with just a
small swap of a key word, Johnson could well have been describing animal
nests. Birds and insects are nature's premier architects, using a dizzying
array of talents to build functional homes in which to live, reproduce, and
care for their young. Recycling sticks, branches, grass, and mud to
construct their shelters, they are undoubtedly the originators of "green
architecture."
A visual celebration of these natural feats of engineering and ingenuity,
Architecture by Birds and Insects allows readers a peek inside a wide range
of nests, offering a rare opportunity to get a sense of the materials and
methods used to build them. Here, we see the kinds of places where nests are
built,for instance, the house wren has been known to occupy cow skulls,
flower pots, tin cans, and the pockets of hanging laundry, while the
uglynest caterpillar prefers rose bushes and cherry trees. Inspired by the
vast nest collection at the Field Museum, which features specimens gathered
throughout North and South America, Peggy Macnamara's paintings are enhanced
by text written by museum curators. This narrative provides a foundation in
natural history for each painting, as well as fascinating anecdotes about
the nests and their builders.
Like so many natural treasures, nests are easy to ignore. But Macnamara's
gorgeous paintings will undoubtedly change that. Architecture by Birds and
Insects at last gives the tiniest engineers their rightful moment in the
spotlight, and in so doing increases awareness and encourages the protection
of birds, insects, and their habitats. Readers will never look at a Frank
Gehry design, or a treetop nest, the same way again.
|
|
|