“Latin American birds turn up in Northern America. And so I went to New York with this thought that I would see my childhood birds from Argentina. What happened was quite the opposite.
“The thing that made me feel at home in New York was the presence of colonially introduced species.”
Mr do Campo said he noticed sparrows, rock doves and European starlings while birdwatching.
“I became aware that these birds were making me feel at home in this new place, and that that relationship was quite complicated,” he said.
“It wasn’t because they were from there, or from where I was from. It’s because we both carried colonial history. And I’ve been obsessed with this idea since 2014 and particularly interested in the way that through my work I can make people question embedded histories in the species around us, and to think on the formation of colonialism or nationalism.”
Mr do Campo said an excerpt from an 1867 edition of The Ararat Advertiser served as the basis of his exhibition titled Siblings, on display at Ararat Gallery TAMA.
“On Tuesday morning last a cage of English sparrows arrived in Ararat by coach,” the excerpt reads.
“The local community of Ararat rejoiced their release … For hours afterwards, wherever one or two could be seen, knots of persons gathered to watch their movements.”
Mr do Campo said he used a 14-colour rule to signify the 14 sparrows that were released, partnered with a series of large textile objects known as ‘escarapelas’ in Argentina – known in English as rosettes or cockades.
“It’s a kind of emblem or object that you pin to your chest for a national day. Many different Latin American countries have them – people in the United States use them on the Fourth of July, too,” he said.
“I made one for each member of my family in collaboration with my family members.
“Again, I made a colour rule. I made a series of eight-colour paintings, and then I chopped up those paintings to turn into these objects.
“Each object is made in discussion with a family member who gifted me a variety of fabrics that they have kept – their high school uniform, or a life saving uniform.
“The work is about migrant memory and placemaking, and it’s connected very much to questions of the sparrow and connection to place – how we form a relationship to place on colonial land.”
People can view the Siblings exhibition at Ararat Gallery TAMA until June 22, with free entry each day from 10am to 4pm.
For more information, people can visit araratgallerytama.com.au/event/fernando-do-campo-siblings.
The entire March 19, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
