"Nodding to the ancient Greek belief that the otherwise “mute” birds sing just before their deaths, the exhibition takes transformation as its starting point. Elements of Dutch still lifes appear, too, as flowers bloom and pastries and coffee are consumed across a picnic-esque surface.
Hier created the Swan Song pieces simultaneously, allowing motifs and themes to recur throughout. The titular bird, for example, appears in several works, from the feathered chair with thick, stocky webbed legs to the intimate portrait encircled by an array of speckled shoes. Together, the mixed-media pieces create a sort of domestic tableau that unsettles in its familiarity, presenting a fantastic world in which the only inevitabilities are the unexpected and change." -Grace Ebert, Colossal
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Stephanie Temma Hier: Swan Song is on view through February 21, 2026.