Whistler Canary Ornament

Because of the deep impact The Living Room exhibition had on the museum in 2000, Gardner Museum Artist-in-Residence Lee Mingwei was invited back to collaborate on Gardner Museum’s new building project and to help design a room inspired by his project. Part of this design included an actual living component of the room: a canary named Whistler after Gardner's long-time friend and artist James McNeill Whistler.

St. Nicolas specializes in bespoke handmade hanging decorations. For over 25 years, they worked with a small charity in Thailand that helps disadvantaged rural women find work in their community, rather than having to leave home. Today, some 200 skilled women work at home hand sewing the decorations and many have been doing so for more than ten years!