By Air/Priority is an exhibition by environmental artist Kate Foster, inspired by her experience of transporting a zoological specimen of a swallow on a Boeing 747 to South Africa last autumn while its living relatives were flying a similar route over the Sahara.
The work is a "playful" study of migration using a range of media, and even a study skin of the actual swallow that flew with her to South Africa.
Now based in Ashkirk, Kate studied at the Glasgow School of Art, which encourages experimental work, outwith art galleries, using materials and ideas that come from contexts 'out there', not just from art history.
"Each project stems from an ecological issue," she explains. "I try to take a step back, show the complexities of issues that can get polarised. Human and animal lives are now completely entwined – nature isn't separate from culture.
"Migrating birds are very vulnerable. A new airport in Durban might make life very difficult for millions of swallows roosting there that fly from Britain.
"If there weren't birds, people might not have invented aeroplanes but then, ironically, birds pose problems for aeroplanes."
As an environmental artist, the relationship between humans and nature has always been right at the heart of Kate's life and art.
"To me, making art is a way of investigating things," she continues. "Sure, you have to work rather personally, but it's a way of making connections.
"For the first time in my life now I see swallows around where I live. I've met kind and thoughtful people in the Borders, it's a beautiful landscape and there's thriving wildlife in places.
"The Forest Bookstore is a great place to show work, not least because of its commitment to art, nature and environment. And now that I'm working on an artist's book about swallows, where better to show the work?"
The installation in The Forest Bookstore runs from next Saturday until Monday, June 23. For more information go to www.meansealevel.net