Sal Taylor Kydd titled her limited-edition book of photographs and poetry “Landfall,” based on a poem she wrote about migrating birds who make landfall on Maine’s Monhegan Island after a long journey across the ocean.

Kydd was on the island as they touched down and was confronted by an overwhelming sense of exhausted birds crowding the island’s dirt paths. “They were all so weary and kind of drunk, just stumbling around,” she said.

Her book examines memory and personal history through an exploration of Penobscot Bay islands in the winter and other quiet seasons. The book itself is on view at Page Gallery in Camden though Nov. 8, along with a wall of eight framed black-and-white prints from the book. The exhibition is part of the Page Gallery’s larger “Storytelling” exhibition that looks at the many ways artists use images to tell a story. In addition to Kydd, the exhibition includes art by Anneli Skaar, Anne Emmanuelle Marpeau, Colin Page, Samantha Appleton, David Graeme Baker, Siri Beckman, JT Gibson, Chris van Dusen, Breehan James and Camille Coleman.

Kydd is from the United Kingdom, with Maine roots on her side of her family as well as her husband’s. The family has lived in Rockport for four years. After experiencing Maine mostly as a summer visitor, Kydd had the opportunity as a year-round resident to explore the islands more deeply and intimately during the winter and spring. She went from Matinicus to North Haven to Isle of Haut, photographing and writing along the way.

“When the summer people have gone home and what remains at that time was really interesting to me,” she said.

It was during one of those spring trips that she discovered the exhausted birds on Monhegan. The birds had arrived, but the summer residents had not. “I was just fascinated by the quiet and stillness and the resilience is takes to live in these quiet, isolated communities year-round,” she said.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.