Ida Applebroog: Birds

March 2022

The Arts Club London are delighted to present Ida Applebroog: Birds, an exhibition of works by the 92-year-old American artist, focusing on pieces from Applebroog’s recent Angry Birds of America series.

Applebroog has been a pioneer of the American and international feminist movement since the 1970s, and has encompassed multiple artistic mediums over the last six decades to portray and challenge themes of politics, power, mass media and sexuality.

In 2016, Applebroog began collecting taxidermy birds and related books after developing an interest in ornithology – after which time, themes of nature can be interpreted in the artists ouvre. Applebroog’s exhibition at The Arts Club includes a solid overview of the Angry Birds of America series, whereby animal portraits are used to portray political investigation and criticism. Created in a year that also saw the beginning of Donald J. Trump’s US Presidency, a burst of nationalism and anti-immigration policies, and the rise of #MeToo movement, the works echo the wider social unrest of the moment.

Applebroog gestures to the connection between beauty and violence in both the natural and manmade worlds through her depiction of bird carcasses. At the same time, she immortalises these creatures through her artwork, bringing their lives back into view. In doing so, Applebroog forms a metaphor for contemporary political life in America and a powerful call to action.

This exhibition is curated by Amelie von Wedel and Pernilla Holmes of Wedel Art, with thanks to Hauser & Wirth. The exhibition coincides with Ida Applebroog’s major solo show at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.