The  Moving Targets “Passenger Pigeon Portrait Gallery”  featuring 14 artists each representing a state in the former nesting range of the pigeon, had a very successful run at the Art & Environment Gallery, School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE), UM Ann Arbor.

Gallery director, scientist, and artist Sara Adlerstein tirelessly promoted the exhibition and used it as an opportunity to spread the word about the plight of the passenger pigeon.

Her graduate students fabricated passenger pigeon silhouettes which were then painted by children through an ecoliteracy program. The birds were then hung outside the exhibition cases.

SNRE staff and students created an 8×10 foot mural outside of the Dana Building celebrating the life and beauty of the Passenger Pigeon. Children and members of the public helped in its creation. To see the complete gallery of the chalk art mural, click here.

The Detroit News children’s education e-magazine featured the centenary, including the Portrait Gallery exhibition.

We had a wonderful reception for the exhibition at which author Joel Greenberg (left) discussed the role of art and artists in his national effort Project Passenger Pigeon. Sara and her student team produced a beautiful and informative poster of the exhibition.

We are now in the process of installing the exhibition at the Duquesne University Gumberg Library. A reception will take place on November 11, 5-7pm. The exhibition will run through Dec. 6. Our “duplicate” Passenger Pigeon Portrait Gallery remains on display at Cornell Lab of Ornithology until the end of the year.

Stay tuned for more info and photos of our final showing of Moving Targets!