Eclipsing the Sun / a Biological Storm
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Ave.
Feb 1, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Join us for the opening reception of Eclipsing the Sun / a Biological Storm, a collaboration between visual artist Todd McGrain and animator Fola Akinola. The short film animates the many forms of human impact that led to the extinction of Passenger Pigeon in 1900. The exhibition will be on view through March 16, 2019. The piece artfully narrates the timeline of the Passenger Pigeon from early European settlement in the Americas to the species’ eventual extinction in the late 19th century. The animation in the film pays homage to the downfall of a once numerous species of North American bird. Prior to European arrival, Passenger Pigeons accounted for almost half of the land birds in North America. In the short 50 years following colonization, the passenger pigeon would be nearly extinct due to urban population growth, unrestricted hunting, and increased demand for wild meat.