Self Portrait II  
2012
Drawing, digital print, hoopoe birds and pen nibs on paper in glass case
111 x 150 cm

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The Hoopoe bird appears in many ancient, religious texts. I have started to follow the concept that is presented by the Hoopoe as a bird seeking truth to survive morally and spiritually, by starting a dangerous journey. I have used the Hoopoe as a symbol of suffering and survival in my artworks for the last six years, often in comparison to the Dove with olive branch. While the Dove was originally a Christian symbol, it was transformed into an iconic, secular symbol of peace by Pablo Picasso. Similarly, I have reworked the Hoopoe and olive branch as a symbol of survival in a secular context. I tried to deliver my concept by using taxidermy Hoopoe birds to explain that the shape is there but the content (life) is not.