Ian Butz

Heard: Herd is an installation of five bison representations in an idealized agrarian setting. Recreating full-size bison representations in their natural settings is a way to acknowledge the intentional destruction of millions of indigenous bison in the United States with the overarching national goal of dismantling and destroying Native American culture and life. The installation is a way for viewers to glimpse and imagine what was and what can be again – with the reintroduction of bison to their rightful lands.

The installation rquires a space approximately 20’ x 40’. Five full sized bison will be painted on PVC fabric panels and hung from the ceiling. The PVC fabric panels are translucent, woven in an open grid pattern. Randomly positioning the panels with 5-6’ between them allows viewers to walk between panels, simulating walking through a herd. Panels are painted on two sides and their translucence simultaneously creates a suggestion of spiritual bison ghosts.