The making of the Artist’s Tree
Nicky Hirst’s artist studio in south London is a treasure trove of sparkly items. A disco ball shimmers in the window, fairy lights illuminate the vaulted ceiling, and golden letters twinkle upon tabletops. It’s the perfect setting for a conversation about Christmas tree decorations.
Let’s start at the beginning. Can you talk us through your creative process and how you landed on your idea for this year’s Artist’s Tree?
When I was first approached, I was thinking a lot about key rings. We all have them, and yet they hold unique trinkets and charms. On mine, I have a shamrock, a Moomin and a whistle, each a gift or souvenir that holds a lot of memories. But key rings are small and can be quite heavy, and from a practical point of view, wouldn’t necessarily work on a five-metre Nordmann fir tree.
So I expanded the idea to hotel room keys. I liked the classic aesthetic of the tassel keychain as well as the key’s potential to unlock someplace safe, warm and inviting, but I wasn’t sure how it would look as the only ornament on the tree.
I then took inspiration from my own anagram practice and quickly discovered that many of us carry letters on our key rings. Whether it's your own initial or someone else’s, it always represents something special, and so the idea grew from there.
You mentioned your work with anagrams. Those who know you know that you rearrange words to create something new, something unexpected. How does this relate to the Artist’s Tree?
My anagram practice is similar to my sculptural work, where I take everyday items apart. I already have a piece titled Listen Silent, and to my delight, I found ‘tinsel’ in there. I knew then that these three Christmassy words would be the letter decorations on my tree.
You’re often described as having a knack for finding serendipity in surprising places. Where did you find it at 45 Park Lane, and how did that influence your approach?
‘Listen’, ‘silent’ and ‘tinsel’ all came from serendipitous moments.
Finding the word ‘tinsel’ within the other two was a happy coincidence, but when I visited the hotel, I felt so much stillness and comfort that ‘listen’ and ‘silent’ felt natural in that environment too.
I spent a lot of time sitting in the lobby, just being in silence and watching how the space changes at different times of day. While the design feels quite masculine to me with its dark warmth, I found these little glimpses of shimmer that appeared in the architecture or bounced off something reflective.
It was through this silent stillness that I discovered all three words beautifully represented the hotel. We’re still, we’re calm, we’re listening. And then there’s this little bit of glitz, just like tinsel.
How did you choose the materials to make the letters, and how do they work within the hotel’s interiors?
I originally wanted to use found materials, but none had that shine that I noticed around the lobby. So, unusually for me, I had the letters fabricated from gold mirror Perspex with small fixings so they can lightly hang on the tree. The anagram wraps around the branches and picks up accents, highlights and shiny things from the hotel entrance.
It’s quite a smart piece of work for me, but I didn’t want the tree to look awkward. It’s important that it fits visually and looks comfortable in its luxurious environment.
Speaking of which, how do you want your artwork to blend with 45 Park Lane’s established art collection?
The tree is a standalone seasonal installation, but I’m making other related pieces that should work well with the hotel’s collection because they draw inspiration from 45 Park Lane’s interiors, as well as the tree – which, in itself, I didn’t want to be too Christmassy.
Although the hotel is in central London, it feels very international, so I wanted my art to resonate with people on different levels. The words are obviously in English, but who knows what they mean in other languages? And who knows whether the letters might spell out something else?
I want my work to be inclusive, interesting, intriguing, and to lead guests to explore the other artwork within the hotel. Each saying slightly different things.
But ultimately, I’d like for my Artist’s Tree to inspire people to meet and talk. I think that’s really what Christmas is about, and what hospitality does best – bringing people together.
Even though you didn’t want the tree to be too Christmassy, we wanted to know if your work has been influenced by tradition at all?
When researching ideas, I looked back at the Victorian Christmas tree ritual where Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children would secretly decorate trees for each other. Although this tradition hasn’t really caught on, there’s a luxury in it. And by designing this year’s Artist’s Tree, I suppose I’m doing exactly that.
What would you like for someone to notice and feel when they look at your Artist’s Tree?
When someone comes into 45 Park Lane and sees the Christmas tree for the first time, I hope they’ll wonder about the sparkly tinsel-esque anagrams and spend a bit of time looking at the ornaments – seeing the hotel reflected in the mirrored surface, taking the time to sit in soft silence and listen to the sounds of the lobby before moving on with their day.
See Nicky Hirst’s glittering Artist’s Tree up close from November 19 at 45 Park Lane.