Out of the Blue (State 2)

Out of the Blue is an obituary of sorts. Produced as a linocut, the print features an arrangement of 26 silhouettes of extinct and critically endangered birds superimposed onto a commercially-produced map of the Americas. “This collection of portraits, ” Bishop explained, “is a field guide, a memorial and a reminder of what has been lost in the natural world.” Since 1500, at least 157 species of birds have become extinct due to overhunting and habitat destruction. Many remarkable birds have vanished, including such well-known species as the ivory-billed woodpecker, the passenger pigeon, and the Carolina parakeet; all were driven to extinction during the 20th century.