The concept of Bird emerged during a writing residency in Sharjah in 2023, sparked by a visit to an abandoned cinema in Khorfakkan. In this deserted space, silence reigned, occasionally interrupted by the pigeons that had transformed this venue, once dedicated to humans, into their sanctum. This imagery profoundly resonated with Selma and Sofiane Ouissi, evoking themes of fragility and resilience, abandonment and rebirth. In the fluttering of wings, they perceived notions of exile, freedom, and transcendence, echoing the words of Ibn Arabi and Mahmoud Darwish.

From this experience sprang a desire to create a work that questions our relationship with the living and the need to restore harmony with nature. Bird rests on the acceptance of uncertainty. Unlike domesticated animals, the pigeons in Bird remain free, never yielding to dominance.

This unpredictability captivates Sofiane and Selma, prompting them to establish a dramatic framework that is both solid and flexible, organized into three movements. Rather than being seen as an obstacle, this unpredictability is celebrated as a source of poetry. In Bird, the pigeons become co-authors of the piece, inviting Sofiane to embrace fragility on stage and the constant necessity to adjust his movements. His gestures focus on delicate details, attentive to the rustle of wings and the interwoven rhythms of heartbeats.

Since its inception in Sharjah, Bird has been presented in various countries at festivals across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Each new territory generates fresh interactions with diverse pigeons, evolving audience engagement and revealing Bird’s ability to reinvent itself while remaining true to its original impulse.