Art at the Tate Modern

Thursday, 16 August, 2018

Liat has a friend at the Tate Modern and she can get us free entry to exhibits. Now, I’ve been inside the museum many times but mainly because the Turbine Hall is spectacular. (Hate that it’s now divided up by a newer middle bridge section. The view was so stellar before that.)

The Tate Modern Turbine Hall
The Tate Modern Turbine Hall exit

The Turbine Hall in numbers:
Height from ground level: 26m (85ft).
Size of area where works of art can be shown: 3,300 m2 (35,520 sq ft).
Length: 155m (500 ft), width: 23 m (75 ft), height: 35 m (115 ft).
Roof light consists of 524 glass panes.
Total area of basements under Turbine Hall, boiler house and sub-station: approx 1.1 hectares (2.75 acres), with an average depth: 8.5 m (28 ft).

I’ve never been into an exhibit and there are two at the moment.

One is Picasso 1932: Love, Fame, Tragedy (just that year!). The other is Shape of Light, an exhibit of 100 Years of Photography & Abstract Act (it mostly shows how artists have worked with light – and subsequently shadow.

I don’t really like Picasso. So many millions disagree with me, therefore I must be missing the point. But taste is taste. Mine doesn’t lean to Picasso. I won’t say much more but I’ll caption some photos from the exhibit for you to ponder.

Ok Picasso, whatever!
OK Picasso, whatever!
What they say every man has on his mind? Well, at least Picasso...
What they say every man has on his mind? Well, at least Picasso…
Um... sex while desexualising...anyway, sex
Um… sex while desexualising…anyway, sex
And, oh yes, sex
And, oh yes, sex
And my one liked piece in the whole show. Notice the lack of sex?
And my one liked piece in the whole show. Notice the lack of sex?
Why bother, Picasso?
Why bother, Picasso?
Oddly, I quite like this. Reminds me of Robin's cartoons as a child
Oddly, I quite like this. Reminds me of Robin’s cartoons as a child
Messaged Robin immediately to tell him to get started on his own Picasso career!
Messaged Robin immediately to tell him to get started on his own Picasso career!
Oh, we women love lounging around admiring each naked other
Oh, we women love lounging around admiring each naked other
Inspired by crucifixion, he said. OK then
Inspired by Matthias Grunewald’s Crucifixion, he said. OK then 

A few words on the next two pieces. The program reads, ‘Picasso turned to a new and darker subject matter: the threat of drowning, and the possibility of rescue.’ This happened after his lover got a viral infection after swimming in contaminated water. ‘This is suggested by some of the works on paper in which fatal accident is transformed into sexual violence.’ What? This might lend a clue: ‘Some biographers have argued that, since the childhood death of his younger sister…Picasso felt doomed to cause women to suffer.’ Do I need to say more? Maybe. Maybe not. Not now, anyway. Sorry, Picasso, you’re not for me.

Lecherous figures to the rescue
Lecherous figures to the rescue
Rescue and ravage?
Rescue and ravage?

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