Christmas Tree, 2001
© Yinka Shonibare
Courtesy of Stephen Friedman Gallery, London.
Commissioned by Tate Britain, London, 2001
Christmas Tree, 2001
© Yinka Shonibare
Courtesy of Stephen Friedman Gallery,
London.
Commissioned by Tate Britain,
London, 2001
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Yinka Shonibare
Tree, 2001
Tate Britain commissioned Yinka Shonibare to create its Christmas tree for 2001. Shonibare wrapped 102 cane branches in densely shredded batik, in a variety of bold colours. The tree's trunk and base were made of untreated iron. The base was constructed so that the roots of the tree spread out on the ground, forming a sinuous pattern. A fluorescent tube was suspended through the centre of the trunk giving off intermittent light through holes in the ironwork. Shonibare's tree continued his exploration of national identity and tradition through the use of batik, a material associated particularly with West African national costumes. It has a curious history, born out of nineteenth-century economic practices. The designs originate in Indonesia, and the textiles are actually manufactured in Holland and England.
Biography:
Yinka Shonibare was born in England in 1962 and raised in Nigeria. He was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2004. Yinka Shonibare currently lives and works in London.
