Safe Space - Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Brooklyn Botanic Garden
For the Birds

Safe Space

Amy Ritter
Steel, soil, sod, plants
8 ft. × 8 ft. × 9 ft.
Plant Family Collection

Three raised platforms each planted with grasses and flowers.
Safe Space birdhouse at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
A sketch of three platforms ringed with plants
Concept sketch by Amy Ritter.

Artist Amy Ritter’s goal for her birdhouse was to create a protective landing place for birds. Grasses, flowers, and shrubs planted on three large, raised platforms serve as a “safety fence,” shielding birds from both predators and people. A place to retreat, rest, and nest in, Ritter hopes her piece encourages viewers to think about the importance of providing green spaces of refuge for birds.

  • A woman in a white tee and blue workshirt stands in front of a truck.

    Amy Ritter (b. 1986, USA) is a visual artist based in Brooklyn. She creates immersive installations and site-specific sculptures that explore class contextualized by the affordable housing crisis. Ritter has shown nationally and received numerous residencies and fellowships including LMCC, Fine Arts Work Center, and Yaddo.

    Artist website: amybritter.com
    Instagram: @aritterface

Photo: Courtesy of Amy Ritter

Listen

Before the World
Laurie Anderson

This recording from The Birdsong Project was selected to complement this birdhouse.

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Logo: Warby Parker