First paint a cage with an open door,
then paint something pretty,
something simple,
something beautiful,
something useful for the bird {...}

{...} wait for the bird to enter the cage
and when he is inside
gently close the door with the paintbrush
then erase all of the bars one by one
while taking care not to touch any of the bird's feathers
then do the tree's portrait
choosing the most beautiful branch
for the bird {...}

Extracts from To Make a Portrait of a Bird by Jacques Prévert (1903-1976)
Translation by Eugene Levich

Press release courtesy Dumonteil Contemporary.