Submissions | VizChitra 2026
Reflecting On Birds
Kartik
Senior Digital Editor•Mongabay-India
Description
This project is an object-based installation that addresses the overlooked ecological issue of bird-window collisions in India. While this phenomenon is well-documented in North America, it remains understudied in the Indian context, despite the rapid rise of reflective glass in modern architecture across urban and rural settings. The exhibit features two reflective glass panes that transform abstract, incomplete mortality statistics into a tangible and reflective experience.
Visitors enter a somber, reflective environment where they stand among scattered fake feathers or outlines of fallen birds. They experience the glass from a bird’s perspective, seeing reflections of the sky or greenery as a "flight path" rather than a barrier. In one pane, they see a bird-splatter pattern representing species-wise mortality data; in the second, they see how design solutions reduce these impacts. (Reference attached).
I use citizen science data on species and collision frequency "splatter" visualisations. Crucially, the work visualises the "lack of data," the estimated gaps in Indian records, using grey/black shapes to make an invisible ecological issue visible.
The work helps us notice the invisible, lesser-known, and recorded reality of biodiversity loss and rethink how modern architectural choices affect the non-human world. It also addresses gaps in formal datasets and translates abstract mortality statistics into a spatial encounter, especially for a crowd that is engaged in finding solutions through data and storytelling.
To deepen the dialogue, an optional live demonstration or talk can be held with an ecologist or an architect to discuss how data and design can address this biodiversity loss.
Data Source
Numbers & species data: Collision counts and species identification sourced from an iNaturalist project or an identified dataset from a city-based wildlife rescue organisation.
Data on the efficacy of anti-collision decals derived from two existing ecological studies outside India.
Journalistic research and interviews with ecologists and architects to inform the exhibit's captions and narrative notes.
Technical Requirements
Space: A gallery area, ideally positioned to capture reflections of the outdoors (sky or greenery) to enhance the installation's immersive quality. Materials: Two reflective glass panes, customised data visualisation stickers, and readymade anti-bird-collision decals. Furniture: One table to hold the printed legend and species cutouts. Misc: Floor space for fake feathers or floor stickers to create the "fallen bird" environment. Optional: A small area for a potential live demonstration/talk with an expert
Note: I am open to tweaking the layout based on the space. If I collaborate with a designer to produce any of the elements, I’ll set aside a portion of the budget for them.
Project Status & Timeline
All primary research and data sources have already been secured through journalistic reporting. I developed this exhibition idea for this conference.
Two weeks: Design, printing of visualisations, and mockups will be conducted in Mumbai.
Installation: The final glass panes will be sourced in Bengaluru. On-site setup is estimated to take only a few hours, ensuring it can be completed and installed within the exhibition schedule.