Our 5th visit to Tate Modern and (64)

So last Tuesday was the penultimate part of the CityLit 'Intro to Tate Modern' and the contrast with last week's hanging works we were looking at pieces that existed in 3 dimensions as well as visiting works associated with performance.

'Embryology'

First work to look at was a room filling  'Embryology' by the Polish practitioner  Magdalena Abakanowicz -the work evoked memories of beaches in many of the group but it's significant that the artist was working in a Communist political environment where the experimental arts were barely tolerated and her works was difficult to execute and exhibit.

After looking at Embryology we moved on to a work and artist I'd registered before, Phyllida  Barlow has spent much of her career teaching but her work has become increasingly exhibited, the untitled (Upside down house) is shown in a room where it dominates and the fear of it falling never seems too far away.

Will it fall?

Suzanne Lacy an American artist has work marking an event  held in the 1980s it was called 'Crystal Quilt' and was as they say multimedia -with a time-lapse showing the quilters assembling before a 'get together' -the quilt is shown below.

Crystal Quilt (1985-87)

After the quilt we looked at a couple more works that were beyond traditional sculpture one by  Helio Oiticica.

The sad thing about the first by Brazilian artist  Helio Oiticica  (Tropicalia) was that we were not able to get close to and experience it as the artist intended.

Not as it should be experienced. 

after this we looked at what was a record of the costumes which were it seemed physical  extension for the wearer - the artist here is Rebecca Horn

A silly record perhaps?

Say something about the body

The works and artists that I (unsurprisingly) found something in were the Photos' by  Chinese Artist Song Dong and records of the items that Marian Abramovic included in some of her earlier performance pieces. 

Boiling water by Song Dong

The layout of this work by Song Dong reminded me of Edward Muybridge's records of motion and talking about the works as a group is one of the great things of visiting galleries with others. 

For the Marina Abramovic  the comment that registered with me was about how her work was in the tradition of earlier experimental events like Ono's (Fluxus) happenings.

Perhaps not the items I'd choose if I was having a 'performance' but Marina did

As predicted  over £80 now at £80 94

Sweary Radio 4

My favourite BBC radio 4 show 'The Philosophers Arms' came to a thundering end of it's present series with a great programme about swearing - it's not something I'd heard of about before as a philosophical issue but it made for a lovely show - wonder if it'll  cause repercussions though.

Doors

Back in Ealing (again) for 64

I like this picture of a road sign

When I'm  64  would be my theme tune if I lived here