Located next to a bank in downtown Montreal is a 20-foot statue of a dodo bird. It dominates Michel-Belanger Park, where it is located, and the first question that pops to mind is “Why?”
The sculptor, Myfanwy MacLeod, describes it as a tale of ignorance and prejudice. The dodo was hunted to extinction because it had no fear of humans, creatures that dodos never encountered before. Its curiosity and fearlessness was interpreted as stupidity, a reputation that still lasts today.
The work is meant to make us think about those who are marginalized, misunderstood, and downtrodden as a result. Did the dodo go extinct because it was stupid, or because humans looked down upon them as unworthy?
“The Song of the Dodo” is constructed of fiberglass and cement and was installed in 2024 by the National Bank of Canada.
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