DYED black turkey feathers are being used to create a claustrophobic atmosphere at an art gallery, ready for its re-opening later this year.

Contemporary artist Susie MacMurray is putting together a new installation called Flock in York Art Gallery.

She first created the piece at Manchester Art Gallery last year when she covered all four walls of a room with black feathers.

She is now recreating the work on a wall and archway in York's South Gallery. The feathers she is using are hand-dyed black and come from farm-reared turkeys.

Her work appears close to still-life paintings, including one of the gallery's 17th Century paintings, A Game Stall by Dutch artist Frans Snyders. The painting shows a table groaning under the weight of game birds, including a peacock and a swan.

She said: "I am looking forward to seeing the work in context with the gallery's Old Masters. I feel that still-life paintings like these have almost a claustrophobic feeling and often their subjects are opulent and excessive.

"I would like to bring out this atmosphere with Flock, so that these two completely different kinds of work together multiply this atmosphere of claustrophobia."

The gallery is closed for a £360,000 refurbishment project. It is scheduled to re-open on March 19 with exhibitions that will include works by Monet and Rembrandt.

Flock, along with work from other contemporary artists, will be on display until December 31.

Published: 14/01/2005