Tate Modern

[Deleted]

At long last, I finally got a chance to visit the Tate Modern, which opened in 2006. As everybody knows, it was the former Brankside power station that closed in 1981. Actually, part of the building is still apparently a power substation operated by EDF Energy.

I saw that the Wikipedia article claims that it is the most visited modern art gallery in the world with 4.5 million visitors a year. I need to quibble with this just a tiny bit, because I know that 6.6 million people visit the Pompidou Centre in Paris every year. The difference comes in ticket sales, because the Pompidou Centre sells "only" 3.3 million tickets a year while the Tate Modern is free.

In fact, it is very aggressively "free" because to get in, you walk past the big urn that says "Please contribute £4 to support us" and the little maps are marked "contribution £1."

There is a big construction project to expand the exhibition areas.



If they didn't want to keep huge areas of empty space, it would be very easy to expand without enlarging the building.



But huge empty spaces are great, which is why they have retained the massive old engine room turbine hall.



It is used for huge temporary artworks, but today's artwork was alive.



A group of about 50 people kept running back and forth, or walking, or rolling. Someone was giving orders but I don't know who.





I went upstairs to explore.



I didn't take any pictures of walls of paintings, but they had some of the usual stuff -- Picasso, Turner, Matisse, Braque.

As for the other floors...















The woman was a visitor, not part of the artwork.



Here's one I probably could have done myself.



It really is spacious everywhere.



There are some bars and terraces with a great view of the Thames.













Before long, though, I had my money's worth and walked out to the waterfront.

It was a minor but pleasurable part of my trip to London.

[htmb]

It's nice to see a bit of the Tate Modern from the inside. I had wondered about the origin of your recent "shadow" post.

It seems you had a very busy trip.

[bixaorellana]

Interesting. The front of the building is quite nice in its flat symmetry, but that space in front sort of ruins the effect.

What is that beyond all the runners -- the one space that looks very filled up?

I really like the tall wooden(?) thingies.

When you start showing the views of outside, I took a deep breath. Oddly, there is something about the interior that induces claustrophobia. Is it like that in real life?

[patricklondon]

What is that beyond all the runners -- the one space that looks very filled up?

That's the bookshop and one of the cafés, as well as the riverside entrance and staircase/lift core.

[nycgirl]

Thanks for this little tour. I'd like to pay a visit here. I must say, though, I don't get performance art such as people running back and forth. What the point? Reminds of a time I saw a couple ceaselessly making out in the lobby of the Guggenheim as part of the "artwork" on display.

Very nice view from the terrace. I see that there are a bunch of cranes all over the place. Does London have a lot of significant building projects under construction right now?

[bixaorellana]

Revisiting this report, one of many excellent ones that eventually get buried.

What is on either side of the pedestrian bridge? It's very sleek and attractive, but seems a bad place to take an active toddler.

Also, does anyone know what that yellow object on the left of the photo just above the one of the guts-exposed man might be?

I really love that long shot of the cafe chairs.

[htmb]

Something to moor a boat?

That's the Millennium Bridge. The Tate is on one end and, basically, St. Paul's at the other.