Feature: Passenger Motel

Art Installation - Hilary Mussell

Welcome to The Passenger Motel, nestled in bustling Churchill Square. This site has been a must-see on any pigeons' vacation itinerary for decades. The Passenger Motel has nine spacious suites, a beautiful courtyard with a pool, and a continental breakfast served daily.

This motel is named for the North American Passenger Pigeon.

Originally numbering in the billions in North America, these birds were driven to extinction between 1800 and 1900 due to overhunting and deforestation by European colonizers. A much different story than that of the rock pigeon, whose descendants are invited to enjoy the amenities of The Passenger Motel.

The story is a complex one. The pigeons that live here in amiskwaciy-waskahikan and throughout North America are commonly thought of as an invasive species. This is a somewhat loaded term, bringing to mind an army of pigeons with expansionist ideals. Once domestic, these now-feral pigeons were brought to North America by colonizers who used them for food and sending messages. When they were no longer useful, they were abandoned. There is some irony in calling pigeons "invasive." given that they were brought here by cultures which have a broad history of actually invading other lands. This species, which had been domestic, bent to human whims for thousands of years, was suddenly left to its own devices. But, resilient and adaptable, they are thriving here.

The Passenger Motel is a place for pigeons who still continue to rely on us long after we have discarded them. Perhaps we can begin to tell a different story: rather than one of domination, a story where we are able to make space for beings other than ourselves.

Viewers are asked to consider their relationship to these intelligent, social animals and the history of colonization that brought them Home.

Hilary Mussell’s Socials:
Website - Hilarymussell.com
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