Blackbird I 1970 - 1971

Editor: Here we have Colin Self's "Blackbird I" from the Tate Collections. It's a simple image, almost stark, but the bird seems to carry a weight. What do you see in it? Curator: The blackbird, a recurring symbol across cultures, often represents transformation, magic, or even a harbinger of change. Do you find its solitary flight significant? Editor: Maybe the negative space emphasizes its isolation, its journey. Curator: Precisely. The starkness echoes a sense of searching, of seeking something beyond the visible. The simplicity invites projection – what does the blackbird's flight evoke within you? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but it does feel like a personal reflection now. Curator: Symbols work that way. They connect to our individual and collective memory, shaping how we perceive the world.