Inspired by the trajectory of certain species of neotropical migratory birds that fly each year from Canada to Central and South America and back, Maria Ezcurra’s work involved a long research process. It considers the bird species that specifically migrate from Quebec to the south of the American continent. Her research includes the observation of birds in Montreal's wetlands that are home to many migratory species, many of them vulnerable or endangered. Configured under a kind of archaeology of displacement and memory, the series presented at OBORO uses recycled and recovered materials, such as packing boxes, tourist souvenirs and personal objects that have followed these same migratory routes.
Neotropical Migrants and Others seeks to discover the links between climate change and migration. It considers the dependent relationship between nature and human activity, affected by political, economic and social factors, and incorporates both the resilience and vulnerability of migrant populations, exploring and revealing the connections — sometimes invisible and often problematic — of the migratory phenomenon with environmental and social issues. The multidisciplinary exhibition includes drawings, sculptures, textile installations and a collection of Latin American artisanries obtained from garage sales and second-hand shops in Montreal.