Anna Scott – The Big Loss | Huia Feather

Anna Scott – The Big Loss | Huia Feather

A contemplative work exploring loss, memory, and our responsibility as caretakers of the natural world.

The Big Loss features a solitary huia feather, suspended as both a relic and a reminder. Once one of Aotearoa's most revered native birds, the huia was last officially sighted in 1907. Through this work, the feather becomes a powerful symbol of absence — representing not only the extinction of a species, but the fragility of the natural world and the consequences of human action.

Created using sealed chalk, conté, charcoal, and chalkboard paint on ply, the artwork intentionally embraces materials associated with impermanence. Chalk and charcoal can be erased with a single gesture, reflecting the vulnerable and ever-changing state of nature itself. The artwork invites viewers to pause, reflect, and consider their role in protecting the taonga that remain.

Rather than presenting loss as an endpoint, The Big Loss asks us to stand gently alongside nature and recognise our collective responsibility to nurture, restore, and protect the land for future generations.

Artwork Details

• Original artwork by Anna Scott

• Sealed chalk, conté and charcoal

• Chalkboard paint on ply

• Dimensions: 300 x 1200 mm

• One-of-a-kind original artwork

• Ready to hang

• Signed by the artist

About the Artwork

The huia holds a significant place in Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural and environmental history. Revered for its beauty and rarity, the huia has become a symbol of conservation, remembrance, and the importance of protecting native species.

Through her use of ephemeral drawing materials, Anna Scott creates a visual connection between memory and impermanence, encouraging viewers to reflect on what has been lost and what can still be preserved.

Perfect For

• Collectors of contemporary New Zealand art

• Lovers of native bird artwork

• Conservation and environmental advocates

• Meaningful home or office collections

• Spaces that celebrate storytelling and connection to place

Artist Statement

"The huia feather intentionally appears to disappear before your eyes, just as the huia did from the landscape. The materials themselves reflect the delicate balance of nature — beautiful, vulnerable, and easily erased. This work is both a memorial and a reminder of our responsibility as guardians of the natural world."
— Anna Scott

Product Specifications

• Artist: Anna Scott

• Title: The Big Loss

• Medium: Sealed chalk, conté, charcoal and chalkboard paint on ply

• Size: 300 x 1200 mm

• Category: Original Artwork

• Subject: Huia Feather | New Zealand Native Bird

• Availability: Original Artwork – One Only

A powerful and thought-provoking artwork that honours one of Aotearoa's most treasured lost species while inviting reflection on the future of those that remain.