The Canary Suicides are meditations on captivity, miniature embodiment, the pet as fetish, and the relationship between death and delight. They are influenced by the medieval reliquary; the work of Rauschenberg, Kienholz, and the mice who’ve made tiny, perfect replicas of some of their most well-known assemblages; and the artist’s mother and grandmother, who bred and kept many healthy, self-actualized canaries trained in calligraphy, origami, algebra, and bridge.
Each Canary Suicide contains hidden money, a suicide note, a pet owned by the resident canary, and unique surprises. Commissions are available. Please email to discuss ideas and prices.
Catherine Coan lives happily with several well-adjusted pets in Manhattan Beach, California.
And because many people ask: The canaries used in these pieces are real. They died of natural causes (not suicide or murder).