How to Fly in Formation

How to Fly in Formation video with bird flight imagery and animation.

This is primarily an audio piece but with accompanying imagery. It forms part of the exhibition ‘Outside the Narrative’, shown at the Scottish Parliament January 2010 - an exhibition that raises awareness of mental health issues. It explores ideas of how our culture copes with deviations from the accepted norm. It deals with having to assimilate the advice of professionals, the media, family and friends, self-help websites, and it also explores my own instincts.

Bird imagery in this piece is symbolic of human spirit; birds in formation can be seen as those of us conforming to societal expectations whereas those who fly alone are free spirits operating ‘outside the narrative’.

Bird drawings are stills from part of the animation in the accompanying visuals.