Thursday, March 16, 2006, 6-8PM Opening Reception and Preview of Audobon's Aviary at the New York Historical Society,170 Central Park West at 77th Street: Historical Society President Louise Mirrer joined the Board of Trustees at the opening reception and preview of "Audobon's Aviary" in honoring the Directors of The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, Dan Lufkin, Edmund Duffy, Jack Nash and Norman L. Peck while celebrating the the introduction of the 2006 collection of John James Audobon watercolors, along with a display of four newly discovered 16th century avian watercolors by the French illustrator Pierre Eskrich. The exhibit featured the interactive use of “four dimensional sound,” a technology created by Cornell University’s ornithology program, which filled the exhibit space with sounds of birdcalls to the delight of the audience full of Manhattan Socialites and friends of the NY-HS. The NY-HS, whose collection is well recognized as the largest and most significant of famed artist and naturalist John James Audobon, and Oppenheimer Editions, LLC, had previously announced on November 12, 2005 an exclusive licensing agreement to recreate fifty of the Historical Society’s stunning collection of original Audubon watercolors. The limited edition recreations of Audobon's Fifty Best Watercolors were on display dowstairs while upstairs at the NYHS were the originals. Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of the New York Historical Society expressed her satisfaction with the new endeavor. “Our agreement with Oppenheimer Editions is valuable to the Historical Society on several levels. The high resolution scans created for these editions will be the first to be included in a new digital archive of Audubon’s watercolors, a resource for both conservators and art historians. Additionally, one complete set of the Oppenheimer Edition will be given to the Historical Society upon its completion. Due to light sensitivity, each original Audubon painting can be exhibited for only six weeks every ten years. This edition will allow more of Audubon’s audience to witness these great images in person.” MEDIA & PRESS: Marisa Wayne |RUBENSTEIN Strategic Communications and Public Relations|tel: 212-843-9216 |e-mail: mwayne@Rubenstein.com PHOTO CREDIT: All images copyright protected ©Manhattan Society.com 2006 by Christopher London