Wind Eater. Toolbox for Interruption.
Mixed media, 2024.

The project is based around a device designed to attract common swifts, a red-listed species, to build their nests nearby. By establishing a protected and red-listed species in an area, an unsustainable development of a site can be renegotiated. If successful, the establishment may trigger a chain reaction that requires specific actions for care and maintenance.

The presence of a red-listed species makes it difficult or impossible to develop the area without taking the species into account, prompting us to question the power of the citizens' voice in comparison to the power gained by instrumentalizing the voice of an endangered species.

In Swedish legislation, all wild birds are protected throughout the country. The protection means that you may not kill, injure, or catch the protected birds, including their eggs or nests. There is also EU-wide protection through the so-called Birds Directive (Europaparlamentets och rådets direktiv 2009/147/EG av den 30 november 2009 om bevarande av vilda fåglar) which protects all wild birds that occur naturally in Europe.

In addition, all wild birds and mammals (including bats) are protected according to the Hunting Act (SFS 1987:259) and the Hunting Ordinance (SFS 1987:905).

It is forbidden to take actions that may affect or intentionally disturb protected species, or their breeding habitats and resting places. In order to take measures that may affect protected species or their habitats, you need a dispensation from the County Administrative Board (Länstyrelsen 2024).