Curatorial notes

Chicken Scratch is a vivid portrayal of perseverance in the face of self-doubt. At the center of the composition stands one of Bernstein's iconic chicken figures, arms extended as though balancing between vulnerability and flight. Surrounded by energetic symbols, scribbles, and expressive marks, the figure appears caught within the restless activity of the mind. The accompanying poem captures the exhausting cycle of striving, stumbling, recovering, and continuing onward despite fear. Through a playful sequence of rhyming words—snail, wail, sail, flail, frail, fail, bail—Bernstein transforms personal struggle into a universal experience. The work acknowledges the frustration of slow progress while celebrating the resilience required to keep moving forward, even when success feels just beyond reach.