A Journey of Art in London - Tate Modern

Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang. Before the French National Day, I packed my bags again to visit my daughter in London. This was a trip combining family and art. London has endless museums, galleries, and exhibitions to explore. Especially notable is the newly opened extension of Tate Modern, which opened on the 20th of last month. It increases exhibition space by 60%, spanning ten floors. Four floors are dedicated to thematic collection exhibitions, while the tenth floor offers a magnificent panoramic view of London. The main building also hosts several collection exhibitions, along with three special exhibitions, including rare retrospective shows of modern painter Georgia O'Keeffe and contemporary artist Mona Hatoum (I had seen this exhibition recently at the Centre Pompidou; the works were almost identical, allowing for a closer examination of the spatial layout). It is hard to imagine that I spent two full days carefully viewing and savoring all the exhibitions.

Of course, the British Tate Modern is a must-visit. Although I do not have an exclusive passion for Pre-Raphaelite painting, I still enjoy appreciating its unique temporal and spatial context. I also toured the modern and contemporary art collections to see if there were any new additions (though changes were minimal). Upon entering the main hall upstairs, I was immediately attracted by a live spatial installation-performance: "Historical Dances in an Antique Setting" by young artist Pablo Bronstein (born 1977). Three girls in black dance costumes performed hand-and-foot dances back and forth along white lines on the floor. Another highlight was the special exhibition "British Conceptual Art 1964-1979," which gathered all British conceptual artists, offering a comprehensive look at British artistic dialectics and unique humanistic concepts. Downstairs, the exhibition "Painting with Light – Art and Photography from the Pre-Raphaelites to the Modern Age" was equally captivating. As an art enthusiast, I felt unable to get enough, as visiting exhibitions never seems to tire me out.