Harriet Pilcher- Blue Footed Booby

Blue-Footed Booby, 2026

Ink & Marker on Paper, 30 x 42 cm (unframed)

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'Blue-Footed Booby', is a part of an ongoing series titled 'The Birds' – The series addresses the historic and ongoing dehumanisation of women, specifically considering the term 'birds' as a diminutive. The continual use of this term (which has been in use in some form since at least 1915, although it is suspected to derive from Middle English) reinforces the idea of women as cute, helpless, fragile, lesser. Each image in the series shows a different bird-headed woman from an era in history, acting as a reminder that birds are also ferocious, majestic, intelligent and require freedom to thrive.

The Blue-Footed Booby is dressed in denim and wears a labrys at her throat. The female booby is larger than the male, her feet are more vibrant, and she has a loud honk as opposed to the male whistle.

50% of the proceeds from this piece will be donated to London Wildlife Trust. To learn more about their work please visit https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/

To see more of Harriet's work be sure to follow on Instagram @pilchards.on.toast