Tate tanks at Tate Modern
Bold tendencies www.boldtendencies.com
Very excited spatially by these shows – experiential understanding of the power of space and juxtaposition.
Tanks. A refreshingly intimate space within the sometimes-overwhelming Mothership. Beautiful raw materiality; unashamedly industrial, black-black with sturdy cast rivets and raised lettering on pavement-sized panels curved to form an enclosure. Worked perfectly for Suzanne Lacy’s ‘The Crystal Quilt’; a performance involving 430 women over age 60 in a shopping centre, originally broadcast live on TV. Intimate details of frank discussions/opinions (things we don’t like to talk about) were presented in one of the round tank rooms, containing a circular seat, where I lay down (nice!) in close proximity to other bodies – not an experience I usually associate with Tate M. Chris Dercon (Director Tate M) in the blurb, presents the 15-weeks programme as an opportunity to redefine the museum in 21st century. Looking forward to seeing a performance in the space.
Bold tendencies. A complete contrast to the Peckham I experience on street level. The show is on the upper levels of a car park, with fantastic views across London – seeing the big open sky left me feeling mellow and idealistic (great bar too!). Mary Redmond’s piece used familiar urban materials (paving slabs painted ‘Evian’ blue, bashed-up corrugated metal), poetically engaging with the intricacies of this unique space and guiding you to ‘see’ the space; articulating a tension between the low ceilings/floor using bamboo in a state of strain. The juxtaposition of this show (ie Peckham High Street below) is an important part of the work. Very friendly. Events throughout the summer.
