The Coop on Avenue A

Since the 1960s, Anton van Dalen has left his artistic mark on the galleries and public spaces of the New York Burroughs. His creative fondness for avian subjects and flight, however, leads us to a private arena hidden from the pedestrians below. Stemming from a pastime in his native Holland, van Dalen has long maintained a pigeon coop on top of his Lower East Side townhouse. In this short film, van Dalen opens up his home and coop for a firsthand glimpse into this unique and nearly-extinct hobby. Van Dalen’s affection for his birds and their wellbeing paints a fond portrait of a New Yorker who has carved himself a small piece of paradise.