How To Make A Portrait Of A Bird.
–Jacques Prevert

First paint a cage
with an open door,
then paint
something pretty,
something simple,
something beautiful,
something useful
for the bird.

Then place the canvas within a tree
in a garden,
in a wood
or in a forest,
hide behind the tree
without saying anything
without moving an inch…

Sometimes the bird arrives quickly
but he can also take many years
before deciding,
do not become discouraged,
wait,
wait for years if you have to,
the speed or the sluggishness
of the bird’s arrival
has no effect
on the outcome of your painting.

When the bird arrives
if it arrives
keep the most profound silence,
wait for the bird to enter the cage
and when he is inside
gently close the door with the paintbrush.
Then
erase all of the bars one by one
while taking care
not to touch any of the bird’s feathers,
then do the tree’s portrait
choosing the most beautiful branch
for the bird.
Paint the greenery
and the freshness of the wind as well,
the spray of the sun,
and the noise of the animals
in the grass
in the heat of summer
and then wait for the bird to decide to sing.

If the bird doesn’t sing
it’s a bad sign,
it’s a sign that your painting is bad
but if it sings
it’s a good sign
it’s a sign
that you can sign the painting.

Then you very gently pluck
one of the bird’s feathers
and you write your name
in a corner of the canvas.

Alternatively…you can always just shoot it¹.

1. Fujifilm XT5. 35mm TTartisan lens. Unprepared and out of focus. ↩︎