The principle of repetition is central to David Horvitz’s instruction. Repetition that manifests itself in the action he proposes: feeding the crows, as in the form chosen for the wording of this instruction. In a visual poem, composed only of letters, Horvitz plays on sounds, typography, and graphic layout, inviting a simple and unusual action. When read aloud, the text offers a modulation of tone reminiscent of a chorus. The layout of the words on the poster influences the reading and underlines the regularity of the action requested: to feed the crows from Monday to Sunday and thus to get closer to a species, populating like us, the space of the city.

Despite the intelligence that characterizes them, crows are often considered harmful or dirty. Horvitz, avoiding this preconception, underlines their capacity to memorize faces; he feeds these birds every day in Los Angeles where he lives. With his instruction, he encourages other city dwellers, thousands of miles away, to also form a link to this animal, to become an “inter-species” diplomat.