Cold Birds, 2002-2005 - Soup hen


Two canaries, two budgerigars, a crow and a soup hen have been transformed by two former Soviet research institutes into diamonds. The bodies of the birds were first transformed into carbon. The carbon was then made into ultra-pure graph- ite, and out of the graphite a synthesised diamond was cre- ated. The stones were preserved as rough diamonds, as they were formed, and were not cut or sanded.

The research for an adequate institute – both on site in East- ern Europe and from the artist’s studio - was both difficult and adventurous for the artist. No official collaboration was possible. Parallel to his research, Hendricks, after having over- come strong reservations, collected dead birds in the desired colours from bird breeders. He then plucked them and con- served the feathers. The dead bodies were then carried - by a sort of courier system - into Eastern Europe and brought to the institutes. While Hendricks was occasionally in situ during the execution of the work, he also had people looking after the project. These people also protected him during his stay. Precaution is necessary within these countries.

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