Design
The "Great Swallow" Project: How One Insane Person Gained Notoriety
Posted by Sean Fallon at 10:30 AM on May 22, 2008
I don't know what you thought "the great swallow project" was (actually I do), but I can tell you what it's not. It is definitely not the act of a sane, rational person. For some reason or another, artist Benjamin Verdonck built a nest hanging high on the Rotterdam Weena Tower in the Netherlands. Apparently he has been sitting in the nest for a few days now, acting like a bird and gazing longingly at pedestrians and the giant egg he placed in the street. If you can't actually make it to see this installation in person, you can still get a feel for the weirdness in the video after the break.
[Nest Rotterdam via rebel:art via Neatorama]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
baldingnerd
Posted 10:20 AM 23/5/08
@Rabid Penguin: I think there is special therapy for that, it's not very cheap tho...
baldingnerd
stagl
Posted 8:39 AM 23/5/08
@hologon:
artist: benga
song: broken dubstep
label: planet mu
stagl
hezz05
Posted 7:44 AM 23/5/08
Hmmm, should check this out when I'm in Rotterdam.
hezz05
Amiash
Posted 6:23 AM 23/5/08
this is a good idea, why cant we all live in nest? instead of building skyscrapers. (just saying)
Amiash
FiveLiters
Posted 3:48 AM 23/5/08
@Cashak: Don't you remember Monica Lewinsky?
Oh wait...never mind!
FiveLiters
RoninianHoon
Posted 3:02 AM 23/5/08
Drugs, thats a healthy diet of mushrooms, pine nuts, cranberries, and more mushrooms...
RoninianHoon
DarwinCB
Posted 2:59 AM 23/5/08
Freaky Deeky Dutch
DarwinCB
icegnome
Posted 1:51 AM 23/5/08
sweet... I know what to redecorate my cubicle as now...
icegnome
dascoyne
Posted 1:49 AM 23/5/08
gun?
dascoyne
dascoyne
Posted 1:49 AM 23/5/08
pellet
dascoyne
dascoyne
Posted 1:49 AM 23/5/08
where's my
dascoyne
dascoyne
Posted 1:49 AM 23/5/08
where's
dascoyne
dascoyne
Posted 1:48 AM 23/5/08
These narcissistic artist-types take the cake.
Other people are compelled to have jobs and do something of social value.
Not to discount the value of art in society ... but I get fined $250 for littering and this artist gets lauded for a wasteful display of no discernable ....
.... nm
dascoyne
MadModderX
Posted 1:44 AM 23/5/08
It's almost like certain participants in certain research facilities found in a certain game COUGHPORTALCOUGH
MadModderX
nutbastard
Posted 12:48 AM 23/5/08
I know a guy who would do this, just to be strange.
nutbastard
Gann
Posted 12:48 AM 23/5/08
@Curves:F'ing poser.
Gann
alpacalypse
Posted 12:35 AM 23/5/08
I think that's pretty awesome, to be honest...
alpacalypse
hologon
Posted 12:05 AM 23/5/08
I liked the soundtrack. Anyone recognize the artist for that DnB/dubstep/IDM/whatever it was?
hologon
pcs800
Posted 11:37 PM 22/5/08
@Kaiser-Machead: Yes remove the scientologists first, starting with that dweeb/dork that is doing katy holmes.
This guy is not causing any harm at least.
pcs800
centerpeace
Posted 11:36 PM 22/5/08
@Kaiser-Machead: lol
Guess he just lost his nest egg.
centerpeace
cmsjustin
Posted 10:48 PM 22/5/08
It's not snowing in Rotterdam...
cmsjustin
Curves
Posted 10:14 PM 22/5/08
Wonder what the birds think of it.
Curves
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 9:30 PM 22/5/08
@bms: Still better than Scientologists.
Kaiser-Machead
MastaFalse
Posted 9:19 PM 22/5/08
Because we're afraid of hurting their feelings. Yeah. Fucking ... grrr ... CAN BIRD D00DS SUE FOR DISCRIMINATION??
MastaFalse
bms
Posted 8:51 PM 22/5/08
And why is it that we don't remove people like this from society?
bms
TheChinditz
Posted 7:02 PM 22/5/08
I live in Rotterdam, and you can bet your ass that I will be there this afternoon with my big ass novelty frying pan eying the egg in a hungrily fashion this afternoon.
TheChinditz
heroineworshipper
Posted 5:41 PM 22/5/08
At least Europeans use tripods for the Goo Tube uploads.
heroineworshipper
AJ_Syrinx
Posted 5:10 PM 22/5/08
Okay, so right now there's an idiot in the Netherlands hanging out in a giant nest and flapping his arms like wings while staring at a giant egg on the street...
Suddenly my life doesn't seem so bad.
AJ_Syrinx
AJ_Syrinx
Posted 5:07 PM 22/5/08
EDIT: "...that I've seen ON the Internets..."
AJ_Syrinx
AJ_Syrinx
Posted 5:07 PM 22/5/08
@pj737: LMFAO!! Based on the pics of Japanese girls that I've seen Internets, I believe you 100%
AJ_Syrinx
Nick_Bentley
Posted 4:43 PM 22/5/08
I really would calmly roll that egg into his building, take it up the elevator to his floor and knock on doors until I found his place. I can't believe nobody has done that yet.
Nick_Bentley
pj737
Posted 4:31 PM 22/5/08
I dated a Japanese girl that looked like that nest. Not her face, of course...
pj737
skullpin
Posted 4:13 PM 22/5/08
I hope he was authentic and glued those branches together with his own saliva.
skullpin
shamoononon
Posted 3:50 PM 22/5/08
@Sora57: ahhh, i just spit beer out my nose.
shamoononon
sonicwind
Posted 3:48 PM 22/5/08
Greetings Earthlings. What the hell are you doing over here? You bunch of freaks.
sonicwind
mcjake
Posted 3:45 PM 22/5/08
But does he poop on cars and people sitting on park benches?
mcjake
iCanhasLs2plz
Posted 3:01 PM 22/5/08
I'll take Maximum WTF for 500 please.
iCanhasLs2plz
shenanigans61
Posted 2:34 PM 22/5/08
@man_in_gauze: Seconded.
shenanigans61
bosskev
Posted 2:29 PM 22/5/08
@Rabid Penguin: "... it was a squirrel's nest, not a bird's nest..."
Yeah, right. And we're supposed to believe the word of a fanatical flightless waterfowl, "Rabid Penguin"? Weren't hatched yesterday, you know...
bosskev
Rabid Penguin
Posted 2:16 PM 22/5/08
Okay... why is everybody who builds a giant nest on the side of a skyscraper and lives in it for several days automatically dubbed as insane?
...Damn high school science fair... it was a squirrel's nest, not a bird's nest...A SQUIRREL'S NEST, YOU SONS O' BITCHES!!!!
Rabid Penguin
SoundArtist
Posted 2:14 PM 22/5/08
My ex was part of the "Mediocre Swallow" Project. It's only sheer coincidence that she was also insane.
SoundArtist
smashingparadox
Posted 2:13 PM 22/5/08
You are my hero Birdman!
smashingparadox
LindsayJoy
Posted 2:04 PM 22/5/08
@daftrok:
Agreed, I wish I had it every day an every night...
By the way,
Many women have also gained notoriety by this as well....nothing new, 'cept the bird fetish...
LindsayJoy
Cashak
Posted 1:52 PM 22/5/08
"How One Insane Person Gained Notoriety"
By swallowing?
Cashak
mumin
Posted 1:52 PM 22/5/08
i saw this guy a few years ago hanging from an office building when i was living in Brussels.
I have to admit, it really IS entertaining though...
mumin
Grifter
Posted 1:41 PM 22/5/08
Douche. I hope he's swallowed by the concrete below.
Grifter
hebrewhammer770
Posted 1:28 PM 22/5/08
@Sora57: double entendre overload!
hebrewhammer770
shamoononon
Posted 1:24 PM 22/5/08
@shamoononon: Woops, that was already mentioned.
shamoononon
Sora57
Posted 1:20 PM 22/5/08
There's a great swallow at the Weena Tower. hehehehe
Sora57
shamoononon
Posted 1:11 PM 22/5/08
I hate to be the person that has to clean the 'bird' crap off their car after parking next to that building.
shamoononon
nightsky
Posted 12:54 PM 22/5/08
I am starting the "Great Red Tail Hawk" project across the street. Should involve lots of screeching and blood and feathers and crushed bones and falling from the sky and dieing.
nightsky
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 12:32 PM 22/5/08
Someone needs to take a BB gun to his sorry ass!
Noobs-R-Us
blatnym
Posted 12:22 PM 22/5/08
I pity the fool.
blatnym
RheoRebel
Posted 12:19 PM 22/5/08
Guess what? Weed is tolerated in Holland! So, I guess he doesn't have to worry about being tested like the rest of us wanting to build nests... But, to be safe, why didn't he go to the Netherlands?
RheoRebel
baldingnerd
Posted 11:58 AM 22/5/08
must fight urge to begin gathering twigs.....
baldingnerd
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 11:55 AM 22/5/08
I can imagine this guy going nuts, wearing a chicken suit spray painted to resemble a swallow, screaming out the nest hole.
Kaiser-Machead
wolfenstein-3d
Posted 11:54 AM 22/5/08
@einstoch: Can i third that? Maybe it'll get to his head and he'll think he can fly like a bird.
wolfenstein-3d
Petezah
Posted 11:34 AM 22/5/08
@i_prefer_sasquatch: I'd pay to see that, actually.
Petezah
001
Posted 11:32 AM 22/5/08
it's in holland. isnt that self-explanatory?
if this was in the middle east, now that i'd love to see.
with glee. hoho.
001
Git Em SteveDave
Posted 11:25 AM 22/5/08
My biggest surprise? It's not David Blaine. Perhaps they can adjust it to make it more like real life. Right now, the birds in the trees and in my barn are learning to fly. Unfortunately, most don't fly right away. Fortunately for my cats, they don't fly right away. I'm picturing ill-tempered lions stalking underneath this for any mistakes. The tiger that ate Roy is still available, right?
Git Em SteveDave
gamehendge2000
Posted 11:24 AM 22/5/08
@einstoch: second that emotion
gamehendge2000
einstoch
Posted 11:09 AM 22/5/08
Personally, I hope he falls out.
einstoch
Jasontrainer
Posted 11:00 AM 22/5/08
That is just brilliant. I predict a new age where art rules supreme.
Jasontrainer
strider_mt2k
Posted 10:58 AM 22/5/08
@Log1c: The ones parked directly beneath him, yes.
strider_mt2k
i_prefer_sasquatch
Posted 10:49 AM 22/5/08
Can't wait to finish my "Great Egg-Sucking Weasel" project right next door to him.
i_prefer_sasquatch
Log1c
Posted 10:47 AM 22/5/08
Hes totally shitting on people isn't he?
Log1c
man_in_gauze
Posted 10:41 AM 22/5/08
He gets points for randomness, originality, and sturdy design, at least.
man_in_gauze
takashimike
Posted 10:41 AM 22/5/08
The "Great Swallow" Project, courtesy of Ripley's believe it or not!
takashimike
xzenkx
Posted 10:40 AM 22/5/08
Just...wtf...
xzenkx
daftrok
Posted 10:36 AM 22/5/08
All women must participate in the "Great Swallow" project.
daftrok