In the exhibition “Bird of Ill Omen” Ebbing and Nikgol unite perspectives on complex topics such as conflict, suffering and power. Ebbing draws inspiration from the Roman poet Ovid’s curse poem “Ibis”. The poem describes how a nameless enemy Ibis is destined to die or suffer through an unreasonable and exaggerated anger that becomes obscure, grotesque, and completely comedic in its richness of detail. In his works, Nikgol explores subcultures from the Middle East that emerge in the aftermath of conflicts and war. His focus is on drug smugglers and bodyguards for dictators and how they choose to portray themselves.

It may seem that society is heading towards a breakdown, a complete collapse where buildings, humanity, and societal structures are falling apart. Through a cacophonous expression, “Bird of Ill Omen” comments on the chaos that has affected history and continues to shape the present - and how people's lives and identities are formed in the face of power and conflict.