Shawn Huckins is an American artist who captivates and dismays, a painter we have mentioned several times here on Collater.al. The Birds Will Sing is his new series of oil paintings, a work that takes its name from an old Cajun folk song and showcases breathtaking landscapes with melancholic and obscure phrases about contemporary love.

Shawn Huckins combines panoramic views inspired by the American classics of Bierstadt and the Hudson River School with texts taken from social media to reflect on the devolution of contemporary language. Juxtaposing the images of a time when communication was slow and relaxed with the hurried texts of the present allows him to highlight the contrast that exists between different historical moments and helps him reflect on the consequences of social media on human behaviour.

The Birds Will Sing thus raises a pressing question: is technological progress leading to a weakening of the social, empathic and connective capacities of human beings?

This painting series is on display at George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles until 8 May 2021. See images of the paintings here and follow Shawn Huckins on Instagram and his personal website to keep up with updates on his work.