Burning in Water is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new works by Brooklyn-based artist Jason Alexander Byers: 50 States, 50 Birds.
Byers developed a life-long passion for birds as a child growing up in Pennsylvania, where his grandparents maintained a feeding system for wild birds at their home. Studying birds in their natural environments became a long-standing avocation for Byers–an interest which sustained him throughout profound transitions in his life.
Inspired by the devastating damage sustained to birds throughout the gulf region of the US following the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the efforts of local citizens and conservationists to rescue and rehabilitate injured animals, Byers began to incorporate depictions of birds into his artwork in 2010.
Rendered in tar, Byers’ first series of bird paintings depicted the species that suffered most following the gulf oil spill. His recent, acclaimed series Love Birds focused upon images of the specific birds that he would study with his grandmother as a child.
In the current exhibition of new works, Byers expands his focus to various types of birds from across North America. Included in the show are fifty watercolor paintings that correspond to each state of the US.
50 States, 50 Birds is presented in collaboration with the Wild Bird Fund, which provides care and rehabilitation to over 3,000 birds annually who are sick, injured or orphaned in the New York metropolitan region.
Jason Alexander Byers (b. 1970; Pittsburgh, PA) has enjoyed solo exhibitions at Garis & Hahn, New York City; and Hedge Gallery, Cleveland. His work has been exhibited widely, including shows in Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Miami.