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Shangri La Stories

Stories from the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design

Stories from the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design


Attention to Detail: Sherin Guirguis: A’aru // Field of Reeds Part II

We can't get over the incredible attention to detail Sherin Guirguis had when creating her mixed-medium papercut pieces that show an incredible merger of flow and control through the use of water-based ink pigments and precise paper cutting patterns.

During her residency, Guirguis conducted research into the endangered and extinct Honeycreepers of Hawaiʻi and produced this series of work in honor of these birds. Nearly two-thirds of Hawaiʻi's native bird species are now extinct, and almost all remaining are endangered.

Earlier this summer, the Biden-Harris Administration announced nearly $16 million to prevent the extinction of Hawaiian forest birds. How do these artworks help you to reflect on native bird species conservation?

Sherin Guirguis, Untitled, 2023, Mixed Media on Hand-Cut Paper (Photograph: Elyse Butler, 2023)