Birdhouses By George Clinton Added To Exhibition & New Benefit Auction Live Now

This week, Brooklyn Botanic Garden unveils two new birdhouses by legendary artist George Clinton made exclusively for its For the Birds exhibition. Clinton, the visual artist and musician who revolutionized music and performance in the '70s and '80s through the pioneering work of Parliament-Funkadelic, began painting birdhouses during the pandemic when he ran out of canvases to work on. Clinton's garden in Florida eventually filled with these birdhouses and become a "funk village" for the birds. This summer, Clinton created two new birdhouses for the Garden and For the Birds. Visitors can see the two new birdhouses by Clinton now on BBG's Magnolia Plaza.

For the Birds is centered around a Garden-wide outdoor exhibition of dozens of site-specific birdhouses created by artists of international renown. Each birdhouse provides an opportunity to learn more about birds and their habitats through the eyes of artists working with a variety of materials and points of view. For the Birds is part of a larger initiative by music supervisor Randall Poster, who has curated a 20-album set of original recordings, produced by Rebecca Reagan, Elliot Bergman, Stewart Lerman, and Lee Ranaldo, and titled "For the Birds: The Birdsong Project." Proceeds from the album's sales benefit the National Audubon Society.

Says Randall Poster: "Talk about 'One Nation Under a Groove'-the arrival of not one but two birdhouses built by the inimitable George Clinton helps bring an emphatic closing chapter to the beautiful exhibit of birdhouses that have lived these last few months at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. What better way to reinforce our mission to celebrate the joy of birdsong!"

Says Adrian Benepe, president of Brooklyn Botanic Garden: "Brooklyn Botanic Garden is elated to see For the Birds rejuvenated by the addition of two specially created birdhouses by musical legend George Clinton. So put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip and come on up to BBG and see these two new additions and the entire For the Birds show."

About George Clinton

George Clinton's visual art is as adventurous and eclectic as his music. His paintings riff on themes from his music and his rhythm and energy translate into lyrical compositions with sweeping forms. The works are an extension of his performances that bring the stage and listening experience to the multidimensional. Over the last year, Clinton has been debuting his paintings through a series of exhibitions in New Orleans, Miami Beach, Austin, New York, and Nashville.

In the 1970s and '80s, George Clinton revolutionized music and performance through the pioneering work of Parliament-Funkadelic. His original sounds and visual sensibilities are part of the founding DNA of electronic funk, gangsta-funk, and hip-hop. Clinton continues to have an extraordinary influence over popular music and culture and has inspired the works of countless musicians including Snoop Dog, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre, among many others.

Clinton's body of work is experiencing a resurgence in national and international prominence. A replica of his Mothership, considered the most iconic stage prop in African-American musical history, was recently on view as part of "Mothership: Voyage into Afrofuturism," a group exhibition at the Oakland Museum of Art. Clinton's work inspired the Afrofuturist movement, and appears alongside artists Wangechi Mutu, Dora Milaje, and William Cordova, among others. And his original Mothership is in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Other For the Birds News

Bidding is now open for BBG's For the Birds Benefit Auction, which includes almost 20 unique artist- and designer-created birdhouses that are part of BBG's hit summer exhibition.

The pieces included in the auction have been donated by the artists, and funds raised will support the Garden's ongoing commitment to equitable public access, care of BBG's gardens and collections, and innovative environmental education for children and adults, with special support to New York City teachers and community greening initiatives.

Participating artists include: Studio Barnes; Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO by Helene Schauer; Bureau Spectacular & Kyle May, Architect; Nina Cooke John; Chen Chen & Kai Williams Inc.; Mary Frank; Walter Hood; Joyce Hwang; Johanna Jackson; Olalekan Jeyifous; Chris Johanson; Shun Kinoshita + Charlap Hyman & Herrero; Eto Otitigbe; Suchi Reddy; Amy Ritter; Aaron Rose; SO - IL, Dalma Földesi, Jung In Seo, Eventscape; Viktor Timofeev; and Ellen Van Dusen.

Free Weekend Birding Tours continue through October 23. Visitors can join BBG's guest experts on these special, hour-long tours through the Garden to look for resident and visiting birds. Learn how to spot hawks, robins, mallards, cedar waxwings, blue jays, woodpeckers, and more! All ages welcome.

Rotating tour leaders include Bradley Klein, Indigo Goodson, Martha Harbison, Gabriel Willow, Chaz Faxton, and Tina Marie Alleva. Free with Garden admission. No registration necessary.

Learn more at bbg.org/forthebirds. For further questions or to schedule an interview, please contact communications@bbg.org.

About Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an urban botanic garden that connects people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn and open year-round, the Garden is home to over 12,000 kinds of plants and more than 30 specialty gardens.

For hours, directions, and admission information, see bbg.org. Visitor entrances are at 990 Washington Avenue, 150 Eastern Parkway, and 455 Flatbush Avenue. Find out what's in bloom at bbg.org/bloom, read the Garden's blog at bbg.org/news, and learn what's happening at bbg.org/events. Follow @brooklynbotanic on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and join the conversation using #BrooklynBotanicGarden.

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