Can you hear the difference between the real and the mechanical woodpecker?

Woodpeckers is an installation by artist and theatre-maker Kris Verdonck, who lives and works in Brussels. It consists of four robots in the shape of woodpeckers that can be placed in trees. Each mechanical bird is fitted with a miniature solar panel, which connects it to the circadian rhythm, like nature itself. Their bodies are made of hand-blown glass, giving each bird a unique ""plumage"": bright red, green, black mottled or even transparent. Each woodpecker also makes a distinctive sound.

During MolenFest, people can find the woodpeckers on a vacant lot on the Quai du Hainaut, near the Porte de Flandre. You will find them by pricking your ears and paying close attention – who knows, you might even spot a real specimen! The birds provide a perfect opportunity to start a conversation about climate change, the beauty of nature or what a futuristic garden might look like.

A collaboration between A Two Dogs Company and the Brussels Art-Science organisation Ohme.

Photos: © Kris Verdonck