Anaïs Lopez
The Migrant

It was in Singapore in 2012 that photographer Anaïs López first encountered the Javan mynah, a small black bird with yellow legs, a prominent crest and a loud, raucous call. This incessant noise outside her hotel window first attracted her attention. Intrigued, she began to investigate and a project was born.

‘The Migrant’ tells the turbulent life story of the Javan mynah. A member of the starling family, the bird is originally from Java (Indonesia) and was introduced to Singapore in the early 20th century via the songbird trade. Today, the feathered friend is reviled, persecuted and even killed.

One of the reasons for this is its unique ability to mimic sounds. Following the Second World War, Singapore underwent rapid change, transforming in a matter of years from a rubber trading post to a modern metropolis. In an effort to compete with the urban noise, the mynah’s beautiful singing voice became a shrill screech. This did not fit the image Singapore wanted to present as the perfect city. ‘The Straits Times’, Singapore’s national newspaper, even described the mynah as ‘the new terrorist’, and, like a terrorist, the bird is almost universally hated.

‘The Migrant’ tells the remarkable life story of one bird, but at the same time it addresses broader themes such as the complex relationship between humans and animals, the consequences of rapid urbanisation and the position of the unwanted outsider. Using audio, video, text and photography, López takes you on a unique journey.

The Migrant has won several awards; Winner of the Zilveren Camera and Directors Guild award NL for best storytelling 2018, Webby Honoree in Video - Art & Experimental and nominated for the De Gouden Kalf and Prix Pictet, and has exhibited internationally in Rotterdam, Singapore, Guernsey, Jakarta and Mannheim.

The Migrant website