Murmuration in Motion

A Global Participatory Public Artwork

Imagine thousands of starlings sweeping across the sky, turning and shifting as one—each bird moving independently, yet together creating something extraordinary.‍ ‍Inspired by this remarkable phenomenon, Murmuration in Motion began as a public installation of 150 individually handmade birds and is now evolving into a global participatory artwork. Through the people, places, and stories that become part of its journey, the artwork explores individuality, belonging, interconnectedness, and unity—inviting us to consider how we remain ourselves while shaping something larger together

Individual by Nature. Connected by Movement.

Join the Movement

01: The Artwork

What can a murmuration teach us about being human? Thousands of starlings sweep across the sky, shifting and turning together without a single leader. Each bird responds to those nearest to it, creating something extraordinary through countless individual movements. Inspired by this natural phenomenon, Murmuration in Motion began as a public installation of 150 individually handmade birds—each different, yet part of something larger.

02: The Vision

One beginning. Countless possibilities. Imagine 10,000 handmade birds making their way around the world—from my studio in Colorado to homes, schools, museums, galleries, and communities across continents. Some will travel from person to person, while others will be created through public installations and shared creative experiences. Each bird will have its own identity and story, documented through photographs, personal reflections, and the places it visits. Together, they will make our invisible connections visible—inviting us to celebrate our individuality, recognize how we influence one another, and discover what’s possible when we create together.

03: The First Departure — Release Coming Soon

From my hands to yours. One hundred birds from the original installation are preparing to leave the studio and begin their next journey. Each is individually numbered and accompanied by a passport documenting its origins. Those who acquire a bird become its stewards—free to keep it, gift it, share its story, or carry it somewhere new. Every journey adds another chapter to the artwork.

One beginning. Countless possibilities.

From my hands to yours. I began making birds because I was curious about what makes us individuals and what connects us to one another. I couldn't have imagined that something so small might become an invitation for people around the world to question, reflect, create, and share their own experiences of being human.

My vision is to see at least 10,000 handmade birds make their way around the world—from my studio in Colorado to homes, schools, museums, galleries, and communities across continents. Some will travel from person to person, carrying stories across borders and generations. Others will be created through public installations and shared creative experiences, bringing together people who might never otherwise meet.

Each bird will have its own identity and story. As participants share photographs, reflections, and the places their birds have traveled, an interactive world map will document their journeys. Over time, these individual contributions will become a collective record—a living, evolving global artwork that makes our invisible connections visible.

Where the birds travel, who encounters them, and what they come to mean are questions I cannot answer alone. And perhaps that's the most meaningful part of this artwork. Some birds will be displayed, others tucked away, and some may continue traveling long after their first stewards have passed them along. However they move, each carries an invitation to notice, connect, and reflect on what it means to be human.

The goal isn't to make us think alike. It's to celebrate our individuality, recognize how our lives intersect and influence one another, and discover what becomes possible when we create something together.

With love,
Rebecca Lefebvre

Every bird, every person, and every contribution adds something different to the story. Whether you become a steward of an original bird, contribute your creativity, or bring people together through a shared experience—you will help shape what Murmuration in Motion becomes.

Three Ways to Participate

ACQUIRE

Become the steward of an original bird from the First Departure. Keep it or gift it. Become part of its story.

Acquire a Bird →

CREATE

Participate in a shared art-making experience that explores individuality, belonging, and human connection.

Learn More →

COLLABORATE

Bring Murmuration in Motion to your group, school, organization, gallery, or museum, through installations and creative dialogues.

Learn More →

04: A Few Things You Might Be Wondering

  • The First Departure will include 100 individually handmade birds from my original 2025 installation, Murmuration: The Dance of Starlings. Each bird is numbered and accompanied by a passport documenting its origin and place in the artwork. You can join the First Departure interest list to receive an announcement when the birds become available, along with pricing, shipping and acquisition details.

  • Absolutely! You can keep your bird, give it as a gift or pass it along to someone new. The passport is designed to accompany the bird wherever it goes, allowing its story to continue from one person to another. There is no requirement that a bird travel. Staying in one home can be just as meaningful as crossing the world.

  • The original birds are individually handmade works of art and are intended to remain as created. Please preserve their original form, materials and distinctive folded-wing structure. Community-created birds are different. These are designed for participants to personalize through collaborative art-making, following the guidelines for each project.

  • Not at all. Participation in the bird tracker is entirely voluntary. You're invited to share a photograph, general location, reflection or story about your bird's journey, but you decide whether and what to contribute. Public updates will use only information you've permitted to be shared.

  • Each original bird has a unique identification number connecting it to its Departure. As participants share updates, those contributions can become part of a growing map documenting where birds have traveled and the stories they've gathered along the way. The tracker is being developed as a way to follow the artwork's movement across communities and borders.

  • Yes! Community-created installations are an important part of the larger vision. I collaborate with schools, museums, cultural organizations and community groups to create participatory experiences where people contribute individually decorated birds to a collective artwork. Projects can be adapted to different ages, abilities, settings and community goals.

  • Yes. I welcome conversations with museums, galleries, libraries, botanical gardens and other public or cultural institutions interested in hosting the artwork. Opportunities may include exhibitions, site-specific installations, collaborative art-making, artist talks and complementary public programming. Each project is developed around the host's space, audience and goals.

  • There are several ways to help Murmuration in Motion grow, including acquiring original artwork, sponsoring a community experience, supporting future Departures or partnering on an exhibition. Support helps fund the materials, artist time, public programming and documentation needed to bring the artwork to new communities. If you're interested in helping shape what happens next, I'd love to start a conversation.

The Big Picture

Where in The World?

Every bird begins somewhere. Where it goes next is part of the story. Each original bird carries a unique number and passport connecting it to its Departure. As the birds travel, their stewards are invited to share photographs, locations, reflections and stories about the places and people they encounter.

Over time, these voluntary contributions will help create a living map of the artwork's movement around the world. Some journeys may cross oceans. Others may unfold within a single home or community. Each offers a different perspective on what it means to belong, move and connect.