BELONGING (green pigeon upright) from the collection of G. S.

BELONGING (green pigeon upright), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

25.4 x 39 x 12.5 cm (10.0 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)

Inv: 259

The humble pigeon is the subject of the brilliant 2012 installation at the Walker Art Gallery for the Liverpool Biennial by South Yorkshire-based artist Patrick Murphy.

Banished from city centres, branded a nuisance and especially unwelcome on historic architecture, the common pigeon is much-maligned. However the pigeons of Belonging are made welcome guests, even on the grand Victorian exterior of the Walker Art Gallery.

From 15 September 2012 around 190 life-size model pigeons in seven vibrant chromatic colours will 'roost' on the roof, portico and other nooks of the gallery. From a distance the gallery will be gleaming with the vivid colours and demand closer inspection. The unexpected presence of these bright, exciting birds; their scale and quantity, make the whole situation at once familiar but also both surreal and unusual.

The installation evokes questions about ownership and feelings of being accepted or marginalised. Anthropomorphised, the pigeons can be seen to represent any group that struggles to find a natural home or sense of inclusion in a physical or geographical space.

Ann Bukantas, Head of Fine Art said: “Belonging is playful and humorous, but it is also a very thought-provoking piece that uses the birds to examine social order and society, and communities that find themselves in a state of constant flight for a wide variety of reasons. “Patrick has adopted The Unexpected Guest theme of the Liverpool Biennial and produced an installation which will delight visitors with the colourful way in which it draws attention to the gallery. “The transformation of the ordinary pigeon to an insightful, beautiful artwork is surprisingly easy to embrace with Patrick's 'makeover', which challenges our ideas of identity and belonging.”

Patrick Murphy said: “Working with such a highly regarded institution as the Walker Art Gallery and creating work for the Liverpool Biennial has been personally very rewarding and the realisation of an idea long in planning.
“Belonging will engage audiences with its bright colour compositions and also use the emblem of the pigeon to highlight the nature of transience and a very human struggle in finding

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From G. S.

Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (red pigeon upright), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

24.5 x 39 x 12.5 cm (9.65 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (red pigeon feeding), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

17 x 39 x 12.5 cm (6.69 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (pink pigeon upright), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

24.5 x 39 x 12.5 cm (9.65 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (pink pigeon feeding), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

17 x 39 x 12.5 cm (6.69 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (bronze pigeon upright), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

24.5 x 39 x 12.5 cm (9.65 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (bronze pigeon feeding), 2012

Plastic coated with vinyl paint and varnished

17 x 39 x 12.5 cm (6.69 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (yellow pigeon feeding), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

17 x 39 x 12.5 cm (6.69 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)
Patrick Murphy

BELONGING (green pigeon feeding), 2012

Plastic painted with vinyl paint and varnished

17 x 39 x 12.5 cm (6.69 x 15.35 x 4.92 in)

View All Artworks

Additional Details

Additional Artworks

BELONGING (red pigeon upright), 2012

BELONGING (red pigeon feeding), 2012

BELONGING (pink pigeon upright), 2012

BELONGING (pink pigeon feeding), 2012

BELONGING (bronze pigeon upright), 2012

BELONGING (bronze pigeon feeding), 2012

BELONGING (yellow pigeon feeding), 2012

BELONGING (green pigeon feeding), 2012