A Tate Britain like you've never seen before! A new transformation of the museum seems far from the typical Christmas atmosphere: tangled Christmas lights, banners made in shreds and debris. "The Depth of Darkness, the Return of the Light" is the installation created by Anne Hardy for the facade of the British institution on the occasion of the third edition of the Winter Commission.
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With its third edition, the Winter Commission invites an artist every year in order to create an installation designed for the Tate, that remains visible during the Christmas feasts. Last year with a hint of provocation Monster Chetwynd placed two giant snails on the facade, while in 2017 Alan Kane has covered the building with the traditional Christmas outdoor decorations.
Hardy's temporary intervention, visible until January 26, 2020, and motivated by the desire of drawing the public attention to the effects of climate change, has literally transformed the imposing building's façade into a post-apocalyptic vision. In fact, by following the artist's statements, the title is inspired by the pagan descriptions of the winter solstice: "the darkest moment of the year. A clear reference to seasonal cycles, long-term ecological models, contemporary social and political issues still open, but also the faith for a future positive change ".
Cover image: Depth of darkness return of light, Anne Hardy for Tate Britain Christmas 2019. Installation in London.Courtesy Tate Britain.