Feathers surround me. Some spew out of a corner of the gallery in a cascade, others are encased within a vitrine as if they belong to a creature that’s concealed within the tightly wound structure made from deep green rooster feathers.
Welcome to the feathery world of Kate Mccgwire, who uses ethically sourced feathers to create eye-catching artworks. They are gently manipulated, though never dyed, and used as ‘pigments’ to create sculptures and assemblages, the latter of which could be mistaken for abstract landscape paintings.
A work made from the feathers of racing pigeons includes a phone number for the owner in case the pigeon flies astray. Similar messages may be found on tightly coiled work made from white dove feathers. The work evokes the sensation of folded angel wings, and a message on a feather that declares ‘I am lost’ could be interpreted as having spiritual significance.
Birds have access to a broader visual spectrum than humans, and we can imagine these works look even more striking to our avian cousins. It’s a beautiful material to work with, and even raising the surface of a few wall-based works allows the works to shimmer more than usual.
Feathers are not the only part of a bird that MccGwire uses; the quills are incorporated into the works, and a circular piece is made from chicken wishbones.
It’s not just nature’s waste that inspires McCGwire’s work, as some works on paper are painted using a pigment that is derived from pollution, and there is a bridal dress made from cable ties. The cast-offs of a 3D printer are placed on a plinth with mirrors behind to create an infinity-style projection that suggests, as the medium takes off, we’ll have more 3D-printed items and waste, in both the near and long-term future.
I’ve seen Kate’s individual works in the past, and I’ve always been a fan of how they draw you in and evoke our connection to nature. However, this is the first time I have seen a comprehensive survey that looks at work across the breadth of her career to date. It demonstrates that there is beauty and meaning in both what the avian and human worlds discard, and this continues to inspire Kate’s art even as humans shape the world around us.
In the case of Kate MccGwire’s work, it’s clear that birds of a feather do stick together, and we’re glad to hear it, as it means we get to see many works together in this survey show in Nottingham.
Kate MccGwire: Quiver is on at Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham until 4th January 2026. Entrance is free.
All photos copyright and courtesy of Lakeside Arts. Photo: Nick Dunmur.
