The Tate new Turbine Hall installation: let it grow on you
Every year, the Tate Turbine Hall welcomes, for the Unilever series, a new installation. It is meant to be fantastic, huge in size or meaning, multi-sensorial, modern. The event is free and always waited for impatiently. Remember this crack in its entire length? Or last year this giant black box, in which you could walk and lose youself in the dark space?
This year, the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei takes over the 10th edition.
First glimps - nothing seems to have changes, it is still the same gry space. Oh no, wait, it is all on the floor: 100,000 sunflower seeds.
Well, do they think I’m some kind of pigeon…? A quick look at the press review tells me those are, in fact, are indeed works of art: made of ceramic and each handpainted. Mmmmh, still not convinced. Something’s kind of missing here.
The video presentation is the trigger. This project has helped a whle town to survice. Originally known for its potteries, the economical crisis bankruptes many a family. The same traditional method was used and 166 persons got involved in painting the distinctive black lines.
In fact, it is all about its symbolism. During the cultural revolution, Mao had chosen sunflowers to represent the people.A flower that follows instinctively the sun. From there, interpretations are endless:
- The Made in China effect, chain work against the artisan like work: all the same and each being different at the same time. We all are.
- the dormant cultural heritage in each seed. Who knows which other concept will interfere? Hope, in a way
- The mass population, crushed by uniformisation
Take your pick. And add your own! The Tate encourages visitors to twit (#tateaww) but also to leave questions and comments in their videobooth. The artist will select the ones of most ingerest and answer them. Talk about interactivity!
The public is invited to walk on the seeds. Some do sit, lay down… or even make angels as in the snow!
This strange carpet is uniformed regularly:
Do see it from the first floor to enjoy the zen garden effect!
The Unilever Series: Ai Weiwei Sunflower seed
Tate Modern
Turbine hall
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Free, until May 02, 2011
7 Responses to “The Tate new Turbine Hall installation: let it grow on you ”
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Passionnante ton explication ! sincèrement sans cela c’était vide de sens. Décidément je m’approche pas à pas des oeuvres contemporaines dubitative souvent mais curieuse toujours.
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L’article est très bien écrit, on plonge au fur et à mesure dans l’oeuvre. Au début, on ne comprend pas l’intérêt de la première photo et tu conclus avec la dernière où tout semble grand, original et magnifique!
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Chocoralie says:
Le contemporain peut s’averer tres rigolo… et tout aussi touchant qu’une oeuvre classique.
Je gage que les touristes vont emporter quelques graines au passage!
Strassybelle: merci de tes encouragements!
[...] Al Weiwei had already intrigued us at the Tate Modern by filling the Turbine Hall with sunflower seeds. [...]