Butchers

Acrylic on canvas (Sold)

122 cm W x 122 cm H
The striking red background in this “Avian Criminal” piece hints strongly at the blood thirsty nature of the pied butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) due to its habit of sometimes storing food items by impaling them on a stick or on barbed wire or shoving them in a nook or crevice. In ironic contrast the pied butcherbird has been considered the most accomplished songbird in Australia, its song described as a “magic flute”. Song melodies vary across the continent and no single song is sung by the whole population. There is no clear demarcation between simple calls and elaborate songs: duets, and even larger choirs, are common. The species improvises extensively in creating new and complex melodies. One of its calls has been likened to the opening bars of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Singing often takes place at dawn, rarely late in the day, but sometimes on moonlit nights.