birdO | Birds of a Feather, Toronto

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
October 7 – 21, 2022

For his first solo show with Taglialatella Galleries, Jerry Rugg (aka birdO) puts forth a menagerie of graphic surrealism. The feathered figures of his internationally recognized murals have migrated onto the canvas. Species from the far-flung corners of the earth, or should we say skies, emerge from nests of abstract geometric crystallizations and are brought to life against brilliantly hued backdrops. Seemingly disparate illustrative and realistic elements balance precociously in compositions that transition effortlessly from one modality to another. A striking aspect of this new body of work, Birds of a Feather, is the colour palette. Unexpected yet cohesive, these works are unified by a vibrant subtlety that sing out in testament to the artist’s background in graphic design.

Muralism is, by nature, a medium that engages with community. The larger-than- life pieces that birdO has become recognized for are conversations with the localities that they are placed within. In this latest body of work we witness a moulting, a refinement of thematics and motifs. The essence of birdO’s mural practice is distilled and the community aspect takes on a more intimate tone. By bringing his work from a scale of spectacle into the tangible space of the viewer, birdO invites both inquiry and interaction. Birds of a Feather, as the title suggests, is an ode to his fellow creatives and collaborators. The artist has issued a bird call to the ones who flock together, though it’s not a swan song because he is far from finished.