LEWISTOWN — The Illinois State Museum features Nora Moore Lloyd's ongoing work with bird rescue and release in the Chicago area with the opening of its new exhibition, Interrupted Journey, on Feb. 15 at its Dickson Mounds branch in Lewistown.

This exhibition of Lloyd's (Ojibwe/Anishinaabe) photographs and journal entries honor those birds whose lives have been interrupted by human activity. Lloyd's work is rooted in her Indigenous perspective of mutual respect and relationship to the land and nature.

"As a photographer, seeing an eagle, hawk, or falcon in flight and trying to capture on film their magnificence was always an exciting challenge … surpassed only by holding close a rescued hawk/falcon/owl during rescue and [transferring] them to a carrier — 20 seconds of intimacy that is indescribable," Lloyd said.

With some of her temporary wards, their injuries are too severe to survive. Lloyd photographs them to honor that journey interrupted by human-made hazards. These images capture them in this stilled moment, a glimpse we may miss when a bird is in flight. Many of the photographs are close-ups, offering us an intimate view of her rescued subjects.

"The images startle us out of statistics and facts into the real-life danger faced by birds in our state. Lloyd's photographs are filled with compassion, love, and sadness for the interrupted journeys," Illinois State Museum Curator of Art Doug Stapleton said.

In addition to Lloyd's photographs, the exhibition includes contributions from the Illinois State Museum and the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors to raise awareness about the human impact on bird populations in our state.

Interrupted Journey is on display at Illinois State Museum's Dickson Mounds branch in Lewistown until Oct. 23. The branch is open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Learn more at www.illinoisstatemuseum.org.

About the Illinois State Museum

Established in 1877, the Illinois State Museum is a dynamic institution that inspires the exploration of Illinois' past and present to inform and enrich everyday life and promote stewardship of cultural and natural resources. Headquartered in Springfield with branch facilities in Lewistown and Lockport, ISM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a proud member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.