Philip Lique_ Common Nests, 2026

Common Nests ” is a Maximalist installation that brings together a vertical accumulation of handmade birdhouses, each designed and constructed as a unique dwelling for birds. Stacked into a fifteen-foot tower within a series of modular crates, the work mirrors the logic of contemporary housing development (density, repetition, and variation within geographic constraint) translated ) filtered through amateur carpentry and satirical observation. In building these structures, the artist adopts multiple roles at once: Urban Planner, Architect, Financier, Developer, Carpenter, Building Manager, Marketing Team, Landlord etc. Uninformed by formal research about local bird populations, nesting habits and migration cycles, these Birdhouses are constructed as concept pieces relating to prevailing aesthetics in “cultural design” rather than the necessary elements of bird survival. These positions become speculative and playful, allowing for the comparison and critiques of similar practices within the human housing market. Common Nests is available to birds and other animals to nest in for the duration of the exhibit. In tandem with natural habitation, individual birdhouses and experiences within the sculpture will be listed on AirBNB and similar platforms.