By Chloe Pitkoff Music by Alexander Pattavina.
Artist Statement: Playing on “bird” as a term for women and celebrating women’s roles throughout Floyd Bennett Field’s history (particularly that of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Services)), “Birds of the WAVES” explores a period of innovation amidst natural environments. Despite the Navy-based-theme, I do not intend to romanticize war in any sense. Instead, via collaged, kaleidoscopic visuals, I wish to highlight the pioneering spirit the women of the WAVES upheld through fashion, dedication, and imagination during a universal historical moment. As a beach-loving native Brooklynite and granddaughter of a British woman who survived WWII, I have grown up with stories detailing the important roles of women in this time period and location, and am honored by the opportunity to bring those stories to life. The animation is complemented by an original soundtrack by Alexander Pattavina which artfully marries classical and jazz-age film score motifs within a modern context.