Reservoir Birds 2.1 (A) – FRAMED

Framed limited edition screenprint (of only 25) on Fabriano paper.

In 2009, Brad Novak (aka New Blood Pop) created his first ‘Reservoir Birds’ work. An influential image that has held its place within both the artistic and pop culture Zeitgeist of New Zealand. Inspired by the cult movie ‘Reservoir Dogs’, he grounded the famous scene within Aotearoa by using personified native NZ birds in matching black and white suits. And so began his personal ‘Hybrid’ theme in which Novak explores ‘identity’ through charismatic animals fusing with human figures.

The artist considers himself a true hybrid – geek first, artist second, and (part-time) doctor third. Through uncanny juxtaposition, he wants to convey the complexity of our identities. Do we have to be just one ‘thing’? A Mother, a father, an accountant, a businesswoman? Defined by something that we do? Through this series, and the extreme rarity of his creative journey, he firmly asserts ‘not I’.

Of note: the movie’s director, Quentin Tarantino, acquired one of Novak’s early Reservoir Birds works for his personal collection.