Alana Bartol, Westslope Cutthroat Trout (a canary in the coal mine),

2020-ongoing, cow's milk on paper, charcoal collected from camper's fire pits in the Crowsnest Pass, miner's canary cage (wood), collection of the artist, date unknown

participatory artwork

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Alana Bartol, Crowsnest Watershed, 2020

heated cow's milk on paper, milk and charcoal on paper, 55.88 x 76.2 cm

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Canary Resuscitator Cage on loan from the Western Canadian History department of the Royal Alberta Museum

30.48 cm l x 10.16 cm w x 25.4 cm h

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At one time, not so long ago, there were actual canaries in the coal mines. The origins of the metaphor lie in the work practices of coal miners that would bring caged canaries into the coal mines with them. Throughout the early and into the 20th century, canaries were used to ‘warn’ miners of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide in coal mines in what is now known as Canada as well as in Britain and other European countries. Being more susceptible to the gases, the canaries would collapse and die. They were often female canaries because they were not as valued as male canaries.

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This device was used to resuscitate canaries. When a canary began to exhibit signs of distress from carbon monoxide poisoning, it would be placed inside. A valve would be opened, and oxygen would fill the chamber with the aim of reviving the canary.

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From the Royal Alberta Museum:
Object Name: bird cage, Mine Testing
Description: mine type bird cage. has a square chrome rim on each side which holds in the mica window. hinged, oval-shaped front door with chrome rim & mica window, with swivel wing nut for closing & tightening the door. has a tubular-shaped metal oxygen bottle on top with valve handle for regulating flow, clamped on by brass "c" clamps. has a small release valve for pressure release. has a wooden perch inside. Thank you to the Royal Alberta Museum for the loan of this object.

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Read more about the impacts of open-pit coal mining on the already threatened westslope cutthroat trout here.