Refuge for Wandering Birds - Athvarf fyrir flækingsfugla

One of the first works that was installed at the "stationary bird - migratory bird" exhibtion is by Áslaug Thorlacius. It was also the first and only work that was almost immediatly damaged (before the opening) and has been totaly destroyed during the last couple of days. The name and intake of the work "Refuge for Wandering Birds" suggests a contemplation about wandering birds and wanderers (homeless people). The work made of vacuum sealed waste collected by the artist during the winter months consisted of empty wine bottles and milk cartons that where dressed around two high voltage electricity posts. Giving the impression of two huge feathered bird's feet. Someone else however seems to have looked more at the economical side of the work and removed (one day after the installation) all the empty wine bottles and hopefully cashed inn the return money that is payed out for empty bottles at the local recycling centre. The milk cartons were left in tact for weeks to come - until now. We are ofcourse very uppset by this sad turn of events although the work has had an impact that relates closely to it's original intension. Since the exhibition has been very time consuming until now - and still is we haven't found a quiet moment to write down these thoughts. Since Áslaug has, understandably, expressed that she will and can not remake the work we will put upp photographs of the work "before and after the damage" that will be situated on the electricity posts where the work originaly was put upp. Also an explanatory note will accompany the pictures. Furthermore we contacted the newspapers  and hope that they will show this issue some interest. We can obviously think of many reasons why this work was brought to such a blunt and sad end. One could be the fact the the majority of people is very unfamiliar with artistic creativity in our direct surroundings - therefor a "misunderstanding" might have evoked certain behaviour that could have been different if the people that took the bottles in the first place had experienced a more creative and artistic environment during their adolesence i.e. at home, play-school and other educational institutions. Included are some pictures of the work "before and after"...