The interactive digital artwork 'The Repeated Refrains of Nature' by Shane Finan was exhibited in the Auk Room, Zoological Museum, Trinity College Dublin, from June 26th to August 30th 2019. The artwork explores the role of people and technology in bird depopulation. Supported by Trinity College Dublin Visual and Performing Arts Fund.

It has since been exhibited at St. Luke's Crypt, Cork, Ireland (2019) as part of the TACTIC exhibition programme, and at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Ireland (2020). Both exhibitions were part of the 'Over Nature' touring exhibition curated by Valeria Ceregini.

Full artwork documentation: https://shanefinan.org/visual_art_pages/solastalgia.html

Created in 2019 by visual artist and researcher Shane Finan. The artwork takes its name from a quote by Rachel Carson from her book, The Edge of the Sea: ‘There is something infinitely healing in these repeated refrains of nature, the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.’ The Repeated Refrains of Nature is an interactive digital artwork that uses six video monitors to show videos of common garden birds feeding, presented much like a security control room multi-monitor setup. When a person enters the room, the birds fly off screen, leaving empty feeders.

The artwork invites visitors to consider the human role on bird depopulation, exhibited among the extinct and endangered birds on show at the Trinity College Dublin Zoological Museum. Placed as it is, among other bird and animal species, the audience are asked to consider what a world without birds would be like. By remaining motionless, the birds may reappear, suggesting that reducing human action can also reduce the loss of species populations. Technology holds the artwork together as both monitor and controller.