Artists curate starling exhibition set for tour

The exhibition, called Undercurrents, reveals the secret lives of the birds - from their ability to see in ultraviolet light to the reason they stick together when flying at dusk.

Now synonymous with Brighton, hundreds of people often line the Palace Pier at sunset to watch the birds perform their murmuration.

Louise, from Hove, spent much of December constructing the homes from recycled wood and old bicycle innertubes for the event at Phoenix Art Space, Waterloo Place.

She said: “I thought ‘why not make a hundred birdboxes in my kitchen over Christmas with my husband?’ Who I’m sure really loves me now."

“The idea is to create some sort of habitat for the starlings after the exhibition is finished.”

Starlings in flight by Steve Geliot

Louise and Undercurrents co-creator Steve Geliot both attended Chelsea Art School, though at different times. 

Before their paths crossed in Brighton and they began creating the display inspired by a mutual love of starlings.

“On Sussex Heights there is a resident pair of peregrine falcons, they predate the starlings,” said Louise.

“You can see how they react, you can feel it when there’s a predator around.

“They tighten and they twist. Sometimes they mob the peregrines. Steve and I followed them for a year, then came up with the cunning idea of having an exhibition to explore the murmurations.”

A murmuration over the Palace Pier by Steve Geliot

Alongside the homemade birdboxes at Phoenix are intimate photographs of the birds, taken by Steve, including a mesmerising image shot on a camera with its ultraviolet filter removed, resulting in an otherworldly, dazzling snapshot from a starling’s perspective.

Stepping further into the birds’ lives, Undercurrents has an immersive room with peregrine calls and the sound of 10,000 starlings beating their wings.

Louise and Steve not only highlight the starling’s beauty but tackle the struggles the creatures face.

“Unfortunately, starlings are endangered, they’re on the decline, and that’s due to pesticides and habitat loss. Instead of being a bird that you’d find in the countryside, they’ve moved into the suburbs.

"You see them guzzling things in people's front gardens."

The mesmerising birds at sunset by Steve Geliot

The pair are working with Brighton and Hove city council to agree on locations for the birdboxes in February, and on further ways to ensure the number of starlings in the city does not drop below the current figure of 10,000.

Undercurrents is open to the public until Sunday, 20 February, at which point Louise and Steve hope to take their exhibition, minus the birdboxes, on tour.