Unwinding the Anthropocene (1-3): Inspired by grand architectural buildings, these sculptures provide a functional habitat for the chestnut-backed chickadee, a species in decline in Emeryville.

The work is funded by the City of Emeryville and created specifically for the Emeryville Greenway. Grand architecture is a way that humans cultivate spaces to evoke reverence, house knowledge, and foster community. By creating architectural spaces for our avian counterparts, the works signal an elevated stature for the species—one from which we can learn, and which is deserving of our respect, reverence, and even awe.

At the same time, the series acknowledges the damage we have inflicted on the planet, and the urgent responsibility we bear to protect and restore the natural world. The back “geologic strata” suggests epochs of time and how long the world existed without our presence.

The sculptures are constructed using environmentally friendly materials, including Accoya, a fast-growing wood treated with heat and pressure to achieve extreme stability and durability. This allows it to hold a fifty year warranty for exterior conditions without the use of paint or sealant.

Inside, each sculpture contains a smaller nesting box for the chestnut-backed chickadee, built according to plans from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

A fourth in the series has been commissioned by the City of Emeryville for installation in 2027. This last one is inspired by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, and incorporates bronze and carbon neutral concrete (renderings below).