Mob, 2005
© Gary Hume
Photo: David Lambert and Rod Tidnam
Gary Hume
Baby Bird, 2005
Gloss paint on canvas
Photograph: Rod Tidman, courtesy the artist
Mob, 2005
© Gary Hume
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Tate Britain has commissioned Gary Hume to create its Christmas tree for 2005, which will be on display from 2 December 2005. Hume has chosen a traditional Nordmania spruce tree decorated with a flock of hand-painted, stencil-cut blackbirds made from steel plate that perch proudly on the branches.
The blackbird remains a resident of Britain during the winter season and can be found all over the country - from suburban backyards, to city centres and farmlands. It has strong associations with Christmas through the popular carol Twelve Days of Christmas. The line 'four calling birds,' refers to blackbirds and may derive from the more traditional wording, 'four colly birds', since 'colly' means black and refers to the soot of coal.
