Bird Circuit
New works by Vojislav Radovanović
Curated by Jason Jenn
Gallery Director, Dr. Mika M. Cho
Ronald H. Silverman Fine Arts Gallery
May 30 - June 28, 2025

bird circuit (n.): an informal network of historic queer-friendly bars and clubs with bird-inspired names, offering covert community and connection during a time it was illegal.

Bird Circuit explores themes of personal expression and identity through the rich symbolism of birds utlizing a queer-coded lens. The exhibition takes inspiration from the historical network of mid-20th-century bars in cities like New York and Los Angeles, where venues with bird-inspired names covertly signaled safety and solidarity as queer communal spaces at a time when self-expression was a dangerous pursuit.  Through a series of fantastical paintings and installations, Radovanović uses birds as metaphors for freedom, transformation, resilience, and connection, inviting viewers on a mystical journey that celebrates discovery and personal authenticity.