Bill Burns's Safety Gear for Small Animals at ICA London

Bill Burns's exhibition 'The Flora and Fauna Information Service' at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London (January–February 2008) featured Safety Gear for Small Animals, a mini-museum of protective gear for small animals including hard hats, visors, a proving machine, a hydroponics kit for Mesopotamian Allium plants, and 'Boiler Suits for Primates Kit' referencing Guantanamo Bay. Visitors could call 0.800.0Fauna0Flora, a free-phone service offering advice on preserving flora and fauna, with options for imperilled animals, Bird Radio, threatened plants, and sales items. The project, directed by Burns from Canada, has traveled since 1994 and includes publications like 'How to Help Animals Escape from Degraded Habitats' (80-page manual) and 'Bird Radio' (2007 KW Berlin installation). The work critiques environmental and political threats through deadpan humor and quasi-functional rescue gear.