(via) As an avid birder, I suffer petty jealousies over my winged friends’ many gifts. Chief among these, of course, is their ability to fly. Then comes the odd talent of swallowing food whole. And then there’s their evolutionary compulsion to build nests with specific – but found – materials. Constructing homes is obviously not beyond our skill set, but somehow the way they do it is just a little cooler, as evidenced by these handmade works by South African artist Porky Hefer. Suspended from the ceiling, the person-sized nests are made by binding plant stalks to steel frames and adding dried grasses and rattan. Holes for entry points, arms and peekaboos lend some of the pieces a blend of surreal Hieronymous Bosch-like and Congolese Songye vibe, but that doesn’t make them look any less comfortable! The show – Heart of Lightness – is at New York’s R & Company Gallery until February 23rd.