HARBINGERS OF PROPHECY’S TOMORROW

September 6 through October 4, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 6, 6-9 pm

Bermudez Projects is proud to present Harbingers of Prophecy’s Tomorrow, a new group show on view at its Cypress Park gallery from September 6 through October 4, 2025. Featuring the works of over 15 artists working throughout the U.S., the exhibition investigates the myriad ways in which artists utilize the images of birds as principle vehicles in their storytelling. Whether employed to communicate subtly, directly, or metaphorically, these majestically plumed avians share a common through-line as apt messengers of fate.

Throughout history and across diverse cultures, birds have been regarded as significant omens and harbingers of prophecy. Their ability to traverse both the earthly and celestial realms, along with their varied behaviors and vocalizations, has led to their interpretation as divine messengers or indicators of future events.

The Ancient Greeks, Etruscans, and Hittites practiced ornithomancy (divination through birds) believing birds to be messengers of the gods, their patterns of flight and various songs holding clues to the future. The equivalence to this practice is the augury employed by the Ancient Romans. The word auspicious is derived from the Latin auspex, which means “bird seer” or “interpreter of omens.” Native American, African, Asian, Mesoamerican, and many other cultures, too have demonstrated long-held beliefs in birds’ mantic powers.

In our contemporary culture, birds continue serving as heralds of inevitable fate. Modern issues such as environmental crises and psychological states of mind build on from ancient symbolism. From Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven to the phrase “… a canary in a coal mine” – an allusive to caged canaries; to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, and to Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles, these feathered guides are as significant today as they have been for thousands of years

Harnessing a vast trove of material culture, Harbingers of Prophecy’s Tomorrow draws connections between past, present, and future portents via the lens and hands of distinct visual storytellers.

Photographic works by Marsha Burns, Eirik Johnson, and Josh Patterson offer imagination, substance and allegory. Watercolors by Andrea Bersaglieri and charcoal and pastels by Prinston Nnanna speak to our ephemeral and spiritual worlds. Painted works by Emmanuel Crespo, Laurie Hogin, Erynn Richardson, and Edward Walton Wilcox touch on the power of iconography, historic symbology, and profound existentialism. Etchings by Rosie Juda and serigraphs by David Weidman present the real and whimsical. Anne Mansour’s pastels and Robin Osterberg’s paintings are reminders of a bird’s charm and grace. And, the mixed media neon sculptures of Leticia Maldonado and street-style paintings of Johnny Rodriguez address the natural order of time and memory’s endurance. Additionally, special murals by Emmanuel Crespo will be re-presented after five years from their original creation.

Ravens, peacocks, crows, ducks, herons, sparrows, starlings, hummingbirds, geese, jays, owls, the California Condor, chickens (yes, chickens), and many more hold special significance in Harbingers of Prophecy’s Tomorrow. For millennia, these birds and countless others have served as our messengers – literally and metaphorically. And, now they gather under one roof to share their knowledge of what was, and what will come to pass.

The complete list of artists in Harbingers of Prophecy’s Tomorrow:

Andrea Bersaglieri
Marsha Burns
Emmanuel Crespo
Laurie Hogin
Eirik Johnson
Rosie Juda
Leticia Maldonado
Anne Mansour
Prinston Nnanna
Robin Osterberg
Josh Patterson
Peppa Potter
Bunnie Reiss
Erynn Richardson
Johnny Rodriguez
Ana Serrano
David Weidman
Edward Walton Wilcox