Peter Nash I Never Forget A Face

“Over the last few weeks at home, I’ve spent a lot of time looking out of the window at the neighbourhood wildlife. The current period of confinement and isolation began in Spring, and while the interruption in the usual routine made it seem as though the world had stopped, the birds outside continued with their yearly ritual of building nests, finding food and raising their chicks until they were strong enough to leave the nest. I’ve heard that crows can recognise and remember human faces. There’s a gang of them that hang around on the phone lines outside my window and it’s easy to see these birds all the time and barely notice them, but perhaps they see us and notice as we leave home in the morning and return home in the evening. Did they wonder why we weren’t going out anymore? This new drawing is a combination of studies made in UCC’s Zoology museum, from life and from diagrams found in reference books. I’ve often sought solace in reference books and encyclopaedias during uncertain times. I appreciate the structured information and having a place to find answers, when life can be haphazard and doesn’t occur as a strict A-Z of experiences.”

Peter Nash on I Never Forget A Face as part of the New Light exhibition