Katja Davar
May 12, 2026 – June 20, 2026
Magnetite
Bernhard Knaus Fine Art
Opening: Tuesday, May 12, 6–9 p.m.
In this chapter of Katja Davar’s body of work—her second solo exhibition at the Bernhard Knaus Fine Art gallery—the artist focuses on birds’ navigational abilities and the routes they follow during their annual migrations. “Magnetite,” the title of the exhibition, refers to a naturally occurring mineral known for its magnetic properties.
Recent research suggests that migratory birds navigate using subtle physical cues. Magnetite in their beaks, traces of copper in their brains, and cryptochromes in their eyes enable migratory birds to translate the Earth’s magnetic field into visual patterns. In this way, their movement is guided by an otherwise invisible geometry.
In five new “Globus” works, Davar references wetlands and floodplains, which serve as key resting and stopover sites for migratory birds. These habitats provide essential places where birds can rest and replenish their energy reserves during their long journeys. Rich in food and shelter, they function as crucial hubs along major migration routes, which Davar also depicts in her works.
Oversized plant forms populate these landscapes, evoking berries and floral structures. Migratory birds play a central ecological role: they disperse seeds, pollinate plants, and help maintain biodiversity. In this sense, they can be understood as gardeners, guardians, and storytellers within a fragile ecosystem. Davar also addresses the phenomenon of “murmuration”—a collective flight behavior in which birds move in coordinated formations without central leadership. Each bird reacts to a few immediate neighbors, creating complex, dynamic patterns that suggest a shared navigational knowledge. This idea corresponds with her references to the Earth’s multiple magnetic poles.
Davar’s artistic practice explores invisible networks—biological, technological, and social—as subtle structures that organize and interconnect both human and non-human life. The birds’ invisible compass interprets movement as a process of negotiation rather than linear progress. Their indifference to human-made political boundaries also shapes Davar’s thinking, calling into question the relevance of nation-states and pointing toward more fluid, interconnected ways of understanding the world.
Bernhard Knaus Fine Art
Niddastrasse 84
60329 Frankfurt am Main
T. +49 69 244 507 68