BIRDS OF A FEATHER BOOK
BIRDS OF A FEATHER BOOK
Birds of a Feather is a photography series of portraits of live birds, set against opulent, historically inspired backdrops that refer to the decorative traditions of past centuries. This interplay of subject and setting invites reflection on themes of beauty, domestication, and the human impulse to collect and categorize the natural world.
The book’s 120 color photographs and historical quotations weave a layered narrative that connects ornithology, art history, and ethical questions surrounding human-animal relationships. Drawing from traditions of scientific illustration and Victorian wallpaper, Birds of a Feather acknowledges both the admiration and the unintended consequences of human fascination. Spanning over a decade of work, this project evolved from a simple visual study into a deeper exploration of humanity’s complex relationship with nature. The portraits—whether of stoic falcons, rosy hued flamingos, or backyard chickens—highlight the individuality of each bird, revealing personalities as vivid as their plumage. The book ultimately asks: As we admire what nature has inspired in art, what might art do for nature in return?
The book includes images of parrots and songbirds from Birds of a Feather; owls, hawks and eagles from Birds of Prey; and chickens, ducks and pigeons from Ducks in Row with an artist statement, process essay, and two guest essays along with several avian inspired quote pages.
The Limited Edition Artist book, is signed and numbered on a book plate, with flocked damask slip-case and 8×12 print. Select print from three image options.
NOW AVAILABLE
120 color photographs by Claire Rosen
Hardcover, 8.7” x 12.75” 208 pages
WARWICK EDITIONS & WORKSHOP ARTS
ISBN: 979-8-9985632-0-1
FIRST EDITION 2025
Printed in Italy
Design Direction: Caleb Cain Marcus, Luminosity Lab
Creative Direction: Beth Taubner, Mercurylab
Post Production: Bec Manson, ThePostOffice.nyc
Printing: ABC Florence
Essay: Femke Speelberg, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Essay: Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark
Featured in
“One photo at a time, Claire Rosen shows her love for all creatures, great and small.”
“We collect and curate art but Claire Rosen shows us that the living world has always been the greatest gallery of all. Birds of a Feather is full of personalities, audacious colors, and impossible charm, it’s a celebration of life but also a reckoning with our endless appetite to possess and categorize what should never belong to us. Rosen forces us to confront the human habit of collecting beauty while mistaking admiration for understanding”
“In Birds of a Feather, Claire Rosen turns beauty into reflection. Her portraits of birds are both enchanting and unsettling, inviting us to confront the fine line between admiration and possession, nature and artifice. By situating her living subjects within ornate, historically inspired interiors, she reveals how our impulse to aestheticize nature often echoes our urge to control it.
Yet through her lens, this tension transforms into something tender and redemptive. Beauty becomes a form of listening, an act of care rather than domination. Rosen’s birds seem to look back at us, reclaiming presence and agency. Her work reminds us that art can be both poetic and ethical, and that to contemplate nature is, ultimately, to love and take responsibility for it.”
“Claire Rosen’s works of art are completely unique, embracing the past whilst creating fresh and whimsical bodies of work that inspire, but also make you smile.”
