I Am No Bird
Ink on aluminum
24 x 36 in
2025
Richard Humann • Joseph (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
I Am No Bird is a series of works that I created specifically for the Identità e Alterità exhibition. It gets its title from the Charlotte Brontë quote, ““I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
From the beginning of time, man has been captivated by his own reflection, and that captivation has endured throughout history, be it a reflection in a pool of water, a mirror, a photograph, and now with our handheld devices on social media. Whereas in the past the image that reflects back to us was a private one, for our own consumption. Now, that image is broadcast out to the entire world. We share not our actual image though, but one that is steeped somewhere between fact, fiction, and fantasy. We groom ourselves and what we perceive to be our audience with our personal brand.
For this work, I asked participants to send me their image, in what we commonly refer to as a “selfie,” along with six words that they believe defines themselves. By combining the image and the words together, I strive to capture a moment in time. It is not just a reflection of ourselves, but is a reflection of society, in both a private and public mirror.
Richard Humann • Miranda (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Gary (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Anna (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Juggis (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Oda (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Paul (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Susan (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Michael (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Qinza (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • China Blue (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Aaron (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Arina (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Katie (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Walter (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Janet (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Alex (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Anna (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Jay (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Farhana (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Shipra (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Len (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Anne (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Doreen (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Marissa (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Heide (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Mina (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Richard Humann • Richard (from the series I Am No Bird) • Ink on aluminum • 24 × 36 in • 2025
Photo credit: Richard Humann Studio