THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM

Ceramic artist Julie Nelson was given a wonderful opprtunity to present Flock Project at the Horniman Museum, London from 2023 to March 2024.

Twenty-five bird sculptures created by members of the Grounding Project* in south London are presented as specimens from the Horniman collection, though it is the makers who have travelled.

Julie took inspiration from the historic labels for the bird specimens at the museum which indicated the migratory path of the birds displayed in the cabinets. With the help of museum staff, we recreated these labels using the original typeface to indicate the journey of the makers.

“I’m exploring the idea of migrations in all its forms, whether that be people, animals, vegetation and objects.” - Julie Nelson

Julie studied the birds created to produce a set of 65 drawings which recorded the project with numerous marks on paper that make up each image.

Accompanying the sculptures and drawings is a film, edited by Andy Dunn, Inspired by the Starling murmurations during the winter months with resident and migrant birds forming organic shapes together in the sky, alongside the process of making a bird in clay.

*The Grounding Project is supported by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.