The Art & Science of Feathers: Session 1 I May 10, 2024

Session one:

Welcome Remarks

Bird Coloration and DNA: Using Feathers to Study Evolution and Adaptation
Whitney Tsai Nakashima, University of California, Los Angeles

Human Nature Relationships with and Emphasis on Birds
Alejandra Echeverri Ochoa, University of California Verkley

Biology and Materiality of Feathers, and the Aesthetics of Feathers in Avian and Human Contexts
Richard Prum, Yale University

Panel Discussion

The Art & Science of Feathers: Biology, Persistence, and Meaning symposium was organized by the UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Conservation and held at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, May 10–11, 2024.

This symposium celebrated the research, practice, and teaching career of Ellen Pearlstein, conservator and founding faculty member of the program. Speakers explored the interdisciplinary understanding, significance, and care of the complex aviary structures known as feathers.