This piece explores a dilemma between love, nature, and conservation through the relationship between cats and birds. Cats, both domestic and feral, are among the most effective predators on the planet, with studies estimating that they kill around 20 billion birds worldwide each year. The impact is especially severe on islands and in ecosystems where birds evolved without mammalian predators. Feral cats are responsible for most of this damage, while even well-fed domestic cats retain strong hunting instincts. In response, I chose a female house sparrow, the first bird my childhood cat ever caught, an experience that left me heartbroken despite people often dismissing it as natural. My current cat, Oona, is kept indoors, yet that tension remains central to this piece. A red string connects Oona and the bird, symbolising the red string of fate, an invisible bond between two lives bound together, despite the harm within that relationship.
Product: joint brooch pair
Materials: Limewood, walnut wood, sapphires, copper, sterling silver, steel, thread
Measurements: 170 mm x 170 mm x 13 mm
Weight: 62 g