The Return of the Native

This small-format publication, designed to resemble the old fashioned Ladybird series of books, was released to accompany the exhibition of the same name at Pump House Gallery, London, in 2005, and looks back over a body of work that highlights the gradual disappearance of hitherto common types of wildlife from their former habitats across the UK. The book features an introductory essay by one of Britain's best-known writers on birds and birdwatching, Stephen Moss. A further essay, by the artist and writer Nicky Coutts, considers the themes and motifs of these new works in the context of Best's broader artistic practice.