Pigeons, Parakeets, Rats, Toads: A Residency at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris

Under the welcoming guidance of biologist Anne-Caroline Prévot and the Centre des sciences de la conservation, I'm developing project about the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle's "invisible" urban fauna. The loud parakeet from India, the protected toad from North Africa and the problematic rat from Norway all enjoying one of Paris' oldest parks.... More to come!

Coverage of my Shanghai Urban Fauna Walk (in Mandarin) in The Shanghai Daily's Weekend Edition

Xie xie everyone for coming out under Shanghai's grim weather for urban animal mapping and talking

The Shanghai Urban Fauna Mapping Project: Walk, Workshop, Talk in Shanghai

My Dirt is Matter Out of Place project presented in Montreal's Articule gallery last year, is about to have Shanghai edition: The Shanghai Urban Fauna Mapping Project is a walk, mapping workshop and artist-talk that focuses on mapping the sparrow, the pigeon and the dog of the Chinese megapolis to uncover some of the city's governing ideologies. The event hopes to be a platform to address Shanghai's everyday and current modernization as well as think about present and past urban policies and social paradigms. From Mao's Four Pest Campaign, to the destruction of Shikumen lanes and the 'modernizing' urban plan each animal has its place in this ideological urbanscape.

The Shanghai Urban Fauna Mapping Project is part of K11's public program "Mapping Shanghai," and will occur on April 13th 2014.

3:30pm we will meet at at K11's entrance dome to start the walk. The walk will be semi-guided and last one hour. Maps will be distributed but participants are invited to bring cameras and pencils to map their own animal landmarks.

5pm artist-talk and workshop will be given on B1 of K11. Drinks and sweets will be served!

More info here for Mandarin speakers here: http://www.douban.com/event/21273718/

Dirt is Matter Out of Place: Thanks all d'être venus!

"Dirt is Matter Out of Place": A walk, installation and panel in Montréal

For those of you who know about my pigeon obsession, the beast has morphed into an installation, a walk and a panel for the anti-curatorial exhibit Springtemps at the gallery Articule in Montreal from March 29th to April 14th.

The difference between a pigeon and a dove is arbitrary because there is none: the dove is simply a white pigeon. So while we can observe these birds under viaducts we can find them as symbols of the holy spirit in churches as well.

Inspired by the work of anthropologist Mary Douglas, "Dirt is Matter Out of Place" is an installation in the gallery Articule as well as a walk and a panel. The project explores how these birds, once war heroes, illustrate our ambiguous relation to dirt, prejudice and aesthetics, and hopes to imagine solutions to better share Montreal with its fauna.

Join us on April 7th for a pigeon-walk in the Mile End led by biologist Luc-Alain Giraldeau followed by a panel discussion in the gallery with Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Laurent Lussier, urbanist, François Messier, pigeon-breeder, and myself, Chloé Roubert, anthropologist.

1:30 pm at Parc du Portugal on St Laurent and Marianne to begin the walk.
3 pm release of pigeons at Articule
3:15 pm panel at Articule

Articule
262 Fairmount W.
Montréal Québec
H2V 2G3 Canada
(opened tues to thurs 12h–18h, fri 12h-21h, and sat–sun 12h–17h)

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Pour ceux qui connaissent mon intérêt pour les pigeons, l'obsession s'est transformée en une installation, une marche et une table-ronde pour l'exposition anti-curatoriale Springtemps de la galerie Articule à Montréal du 29 mars au 14 avril.

La différence entre un pigeon et une colombe est arbitraire puisqu’elle n’existe pas: la colombe est simplement un pigeon blanc. Si on peut observer ces oiseaux sous les viaducs, on les retrouve aussi comme symbole du Saint-Esprit dans les églises catholiques.

Inspiré par le travail de l'anthropologue Mary Douglas, "Dirt is Matter Out of Place" est une installation dans la galerie Articule ainsi qu'une marche et une table ronde. Au travers de ces oiseaux, anciens héros de guerre, le projet explore notre relation ambiguë à la saleté, empreinte de préjugés; et propose d'imaginer des solutions pour mieux partager Montreal avec sa faune.

Retrouvez-nous le 7 avril pour une marche-pigeon guidée par le biologiste Luc-Alain Giraldeau suivie d’une table ronde avec Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Laurent Lussier, urbaniste, François Messier, éleveur de pigeon et moi-même, Chloé Roubert, anthropologue.

13h30 Parc du Portugal sur St Laurent et Marianne pour le début de la marche.
15h lâcher de pigeons à Articule (262 Fairmount O.)
15h15 table-ronde à Articule

Articule
262 Fairmount O.
Montréal Québec
H2V 2G3 Canada
(ouvert mardi au jeudi 12h–18h, ven 12h-21h, and sam–dim 12h–17h)

(poster Chris Tucker; photo Layne Gardner, for more on the pigeon go to http://www.npausa.com)

Project: Accumulation

I'm presenting the work and paper Accumulation I collaborated on 

with Drop Legs (Lesley Braun) 

in NYC tomorrow at the Graduate Student Conference on "Critical Information" at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

Bienvenue/Welcome

I collaborated with Ming Lin and Didi Ohri on the latest edition of their anthropoartistique interventions on Montreal's foodscape: the Bienvenue/Welcome placemats. Come join the launch of the set de table tonight at the Nouveau Palais on Bernard. There will be food presented on thoughtful stuff and beats by DJ CadenceWeapon.

... And in an perfect concidence of sorts the CCA is having its own montreal food event this same afternoon: "A taste for Montréal" goes on from 4 to 9 pm in collaboration with spacingmontreal and avenue 8, and people from the SAT's foodLab and Toqué.