Is Artificial Intelligence good for the environment? Probably not. But on the concluding days of London-based Samia Kapadia’s AI-powered exhibition Fragile Feathers, the scales tip in favour of a yes. Born from the love for birds and rising concerns over their degrading quality of life in this city, Mumbai-born Kapadia’s moving artworks, both literally and figuratively, hide a message behind the fascinating videos.

A view of the digital exhibit at the Colaba gallery

“Growing up in the city, I observed that the usual chirping of birds in the mornings slowly dissolved into a silence. I wanted to channel my concerns into immersive art, but I knew it had to be rooted in credible data,” says Kapadia, who moved to London to pursue a career in Visual Design in 2021. Help was at hand from a familiar Great Hornbill — the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) opened its doors to archival material, and introduced Kapadia to veteran wildlife photographer, Nayan Khanolkar.