Marilyn da Silva

Marilyn da Silva works as a metal-smith in a narrative way. She has been using birds in her work since 1999 and has been inspired by them. She does not consider herself a bird watcher but thinks that the bird spend more time watching us instead. She is also inspired by small detailed drawings from the 19th century of bird identification. In her recent work, which included six of the panels in this exhibition, she depicts etchings of birds in their natural environments. Each one comes to life as a relief in the form of a brooch and is housed in a shadow box which frames the image. The subtle beauty of female birds is depicted in four smaller panels. Their placement and composition is inspired by the simplicity and elegance of Japanese flower arrangements. These birds are also removable and can be worn as brooches. To her they act as a metaphors for her everyday experiences, from personal to universal, in her sculpture and including her wearable pieces.