January 20, 2006

Perch Lady

Kana Harada’s Exhibit Opens

Pets? Great idea in theory. In practice, not so much.

Somewhere between the turtle that met an untimely fate in your bag and the newt that hightailed it out of your life, you realized animals weren’t your forte.

Next time you feel like adopting, try a critter of the imaginary sort. Like the kind you can keep in a faux birdcage created by artist Kana Harada, whose exhibit, Amaoto — Sound of Heaven, opens in Oak Cliff tomorrow.

The beautiful digs for fictitious fowl are made from hand-cut foam and sponge sheets and have names like “Moonlight,” “Canopy,” and “Infinite Love.” Intricate arches and detailed shapes intertwine to create elaborate floating mobiles.

And because each cage has a strict open-door policy, your make-believe flock will always have a way to escape.

Which, in your case, appears to be a necessity.

Mighty Fine Arts, 407 North Tyler, Oak Cliff (214-942-5241 or mfagallery.com).