DB Lampman

Waterfowl is a performance art piece that was filmed live on the Staten Island waterfront in 2025 and made into a silent film shot in 16mm at 16fps.  The film and the performance features a costume made by the artist of a neoprene wetsuit covered in feathers and ropes that are tethered to her body and to five large round buoys that drag behind her. During the performance, the artist interacts in a choreographed dance with a nearby camera drone that is surveilling her movements. ​Waterfowl features an imaginary sea bird who is tethered to the shore by the weight of objects that she must tend to. They are objects that have washed ashore that she attaches meaning to in a variety of ways. Only upon entering the water does she discover their true function. 

Waterfowl was inspired by finding a large buoy (presumably from a boat) that washed ashore amongst other trash and detritus from humans. It was discarded on the beach surrounded by a variety of migratory birds and DB wondered what these birds think of the strange objects they encounter. Most likely nothing; but they may notice their food sources dwindling or changing, or their migration patterns changing slightly as the climate and their habitats are affected by human overconsumption and waste. 

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According to Cornell University’s 2025 State of the Birds Report, one-third of U.S. birds need conservation action. The decline of bird populations is happening everywhere: in grasslands, aridlands, forests, and especially with our shorebirds and seabirds. Shorebirds are the most at-risk species of any group of birds in North America. This is in large part due to the destruction of wetlands and habitats birds depend on along their migratory paths. 

Take care of our waterfronts and wetlands. The birds are sending out distress signals.
For more information please visit: https://www.stateofthebirds.org/2025

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