Birds of No Feather: Julia Signe

"Bird People" emerged, one way or another, as Chicago-based Norwegian-American artist Julia Signe’s creative sanctuary. Inspired by the uncanny and the power of symbols, these figures became intimate reflections, representing a pursuit of freedom and personal growth. In layered, imaginative landscapes, they explore vulnerability's transformative power, emphasizing the importance of community. Depicting the figures nude conveys a certain utopian idealism about openness and honesty–perhaps the most direct in a series of allegorical moments. The medium of graphite allows for an automatic-but-controlled approach to making, another reflection of the artist’s emphasis on freedom.

Depicting scenes of adventure, conflict, and an unknown folklore, the collection of graphite drawings is reminiscent of the direct narratives of cave drawing. Ancient Norwegian stories passed down through her family inspire a mythological approach to narrative and iconography. The eagle representing authority; the raven: wisdom; and the cormorant carrying messages from the beyond, Signe continues a norse legacy of aviary symbolism. Instead of conquest and violence, however, Signe brings to the forefront questions of identity, vulnerability and belonging. Drawing from these diverse influences, as well as an international background, Signe’s work reflects a journey of reconciling contrasting desires: wanderlust and domesticity; rigidity and compromise; stagnance and growth; comfort and freedom. If birds of a feather flock together, it follows that the Birds of No Feather may flock alone. Is un-belonging freedom? The exhibition invites viewers gently on a journey of reflection through empathy and magical storytelling.

Details

Image: Julia Signe, 3 Riverside Seamstresses, 2023, graphite on paper, 11 x 14 inches (27.9 x 35.6 cm)