American Mettle Lower 48 – Four Horses

Currently on loan to the Art in Embassies Program through the United States Department of State. $4,495 - Measures 44 inches as measured diagonally from Maine to California. More photos on Instagram at #ianbirdart. As its title suggests, there are 4 horses in this piece, This work is made of sheet metal from automobiles, machinery, etc., and other objects from my collection. Each state is created after carefully selecting the right piece from thousands of parts. Though each piece is different, they work together to make a cohesive whole. Everything I use had its own life and story before it came to me. I relate to their scratches, dents, faded paint and rust through my own experiences. For me, there is an evocation of nostalgia by using these fragments of old things. My work is not just about what you see before you, but what the parts once were. *A build sheet with a list of materials is provided with this piece*