ヨエル・ヒルスカ゠ヘイッキネン

Joel Hilska-Heikkinen

Through photographs, fieldnotes, and an essay, Birdwatching asks the question of what does it mean to observe another being or to be observed by one.

During a three-month residency at Sapporo Tenjinyama Art Studio, I attempted to understand the act of birdwatching and what it could mean to me. The birdwatching attempts took place in various mountain and nature trails around Sapporo.

Whenever I would hear the sound of a bird from a certain direction, I would face that way and take the photograph. The birds might not be visible in the photographs, but they certainly are there somewhere—hiding behind the green foliage and, perhaps, watching me.