I love this image which I snapped a few years ago while visiting the ancient township of Hoi An in central Vietnam. The simple beauty of the cage, the unintended beauty of the crumbling painted wall, the soft shadows cast by both the cage and the unseen electricity lines…
I am also conflicted by it. Birds in cages – not a fan. However it is still a thing in Vietnam. Not only the collection and caging of the birds but the artistry behind the creation of the cages. It really is an art form. I have seen some out-of-this-world BEAUTIFUL hand-carved bird cages from the central Vietnam region. There are whole villages dedicated to the craft with trained artisans who carve intricate patterns with incredible skill and patience. As a designer, I cannot help but want the traditional craft of bird cage making to survive, given the skill it requires and the number of people it employs. Just without the birds.
