“Refuge Nest Colony is a series of interactive sculptures designed to encourage the public to sit inside them to view the world from a bird’s home perspective. The installation will be positioned within the ARTLANTIC: wonder landscaped garden, becoming part of a newly restored natural environment. Seven nests will be situated on the ground in clusters creating a colony/community among the beach grasses easily assessable for entry and exit. The concept is simple but I believe it can be effective to open people’s minds to how art and nature are connected. The goal of this project is to provide a place for play, contemplation, and observation.

To build these structures, a mold was created from one of my earlier nest sculptures and cast in polyester fiberglass resin, each being three to four feet wide and one foot high. I selected bright primary colors to reference a playground. The original artwork is constructed from trash, plastic, paper, and debris that washed ashore along the New Jersey Atlantic County coastline. Using local gathered materials makes the project relevant to the surrounding area and brings awareness to what is floating in our waterways.

Hopefully, through this project, the public will contemplate what home means to them by providing a place to think about nature and reflect on the importance of birds to our survival. Building the nest colony in Atlantic City will remind both local residents and visitors that environmental ecosystems are abundant here and can serve as a symbol of rebirth and renewal. I invite everyone to sit and dwell. 

Robert Lach is an interdisciplinary artist working in the mediums of sculpture, found art assemblage, photography, and installation. He studied at the Visual Arts Center in Summit, NJ, the International Center for Photography in New York City, and this past year received his BFA in sculpture from New Jersey City University. Lach spent years working as a professional photographer and photography assistant. His photographic body of work is based on images of New Jersey’s industrial landscape and decay.

The Artist worked at Gallery Aferro, a community based organization in Newark, NJ, as a gallery assistant and served as on the Board on the Directors from 2008 to 2011. His work has been exhibited throughout the state of New Jersey at the Newark Museum, Monmouth Museum, and most recently at the Noyes Museum, as well as numerous other group shows.