Canberra design duo Eggpicnic launches Between You and Me at Thor's Hammer

"I don't think the birds will ever let me forget. I see my mum in every superb fairy-wren."

Eggpicnic is known for its artworks featuring native birds, so it's understandable that someone who has bought their work previously speaks about the animal featured in it.

But the quote also speaks to what the Canberra-based design duo, Camila De Gregorio and Chris Macaluso wanted to capture within the exhibition. And that's people's connection with animals.

"It's all about calling people to action. Letting people delve into their own stories, realise how much they love animals because love is a gateway to caring. And we ultimately protect what we love," De Gregorio says.

"That's the whole point of our work - to educate people and to raise the public support. It's joining art, science, communication, and getting everything out into the world quickly because things need to change quickly."

The exhibition - which has found a home at Thor's Hammer until July 16 - explores Canberra and Australia's fauna and flora, and in particular the birdlife.

As well as works that you would expect to have in an exhibition - for example, sculpture and prints - Eggpicnic has also included multiple digital elements.

There are QR codes dotted around Between You and Me. The first takes visitors online to share their own stories about some of Australia's animals.

The second is a series of videos and interviews with Australian scientists speaking about the animals featured in the works, and the threats that they face in the wild.

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"We want people to bring their headphones and their phones and listen to what's in this exhibition," De Gregorio says.

"For example, we have Holly Parsons from BirdLife and she has a PhD in superb fairy-wrens and what she has to say is super interesting."

Finally, there is a series of QR codes that add an augmented reality element. Using their phones, visitors can introduce things like a flying gang gang cockatoo or even a hot air balloon in the shape of a superb fairy-wren into the space.

"During lockdown we had an idea to do a project where it was in a cockatoo balloon to represent the balloon festival here in Canberra, which we actually missed," Macaluso says.

"But we've done it here and it's something where people could go out or use in their house and they could have this cockatoo balloon using augmented reality through Instagram.

"We've created these two walls which are augmented reality sculptures that people can use within the space.

"We've always wanted to bring those digital elements into it. I think the interaction between the people and the pieces and learning more and taking something away and taking something home from an exhibition, that's important."

Between You and Me is at Thor's Hammer until July 16. For more information go to eggpicnic.com.

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