Photography student uses paper sculpture to defy gravity

A sculpture at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center has given wings to recycled copies of The Daily Athenaeum.

Forty paper birds made of DA newspapers have been hanging outside the entrance to the CAC since April 19. They were created by photography student Daniela Londono-Bernal for a class project.

The paper birds appear to be flying out of the DA distribution box, something Londono-Bernal said gives the sculpture symbolism.

"The birds represent how newspaper sales had decreased in past decades," she said. "It’s a commentary on how people are losing interest in the news."

Londono-Bernal was searching for final project ideas for an art class when she became inspired to create the birds.

"I was googling paper sculptures, and I really liked how birds looked out of paper," she said. Each bird took more than two hours to create – turning Londono-Bernal’s sculpture into a week-long project.

"It took pretty much my whole spring break, but I didn’t think so many people were actually going to like it," she said.

Londono-Bernal had originally intended for the birds to hang outside the DA’s main office, but chose to hang them at the CAC in order to reach a larger audience.

"I love when people go and actually touch them. I love the interactive part of it," she said.

The sculpture is currently unnamed, but students around the CAC often refer to it as "the birds." Londono-Bernal said she kept the sculpture unnamed so viewers could have their own opinions about the work.

"I like how people call it different things. I like hearing people’s opinions more than telling them that I made it," she said.

Journalism student Zachary Voreh passes by the sculpture several times a week on his way to class. He said he likes the sculpture, but thinks it has a melancholy meaning.

"I guess I thought it meant how news was fleeting and how people are looking for new purposes for newspapers," he said. "That’s kind of depressing, considering I’m a journalism major."

Theater student Adam Messenger said the art was inspiring and he likes how it is available for public interaction.

"I love being in the CAC for most of my classes because things like this sculpture happen all the time. It’s great art," he said.

Messenger’s classmate, theater student Emily-Elizabeth Glover, said she loves how art students make public art each year.

"I love art major season. You don’t see many of the students throughout the year, but then at the end of the semester they come out with all this really great stuff. It’s glorious," Glover said.