Black-Throated Mango Hummingbird by J. C. Fontanive

This Flipbook Machine features the black-throated mango hummingbird, native to South America, and is the only predominantly green-colored bird of its species. The rich iridescent emerald plumage and jet-black-feathered throat inspired the original painting for this artwork. Featuring 72 screen-printed archival inkjet papers, this hand-tooled stainless steel machine, bearings, and motor are all crafted in the artist's studio in Queens, NYC.

The Flipbook Machine brings to life the ethereal beauty of hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths captured in playful perpetual flight. Created by New York based artist J. C. Fontanive in 2004. The Flipbook Machine has evolved into a special series of limited edition handcrafted artworks. From his Queens-based studio, each Flipbook Machine is meticulously crafted from scratch, adhering to age-old practices of craftsmanship. Designing the mechanism over time, the animations and machines have informed each other's development – insect wings flickering like paper, and paper cards flapping at the rate of insect wings.

2021; archival inkjet print on acid free paper; 4.25 x 4.25 x 5.5 inches; stainless steel, aluminum, bearings, motor and electronics; 72 hours of continuous operation with a single micro USB charge; edition of 75.