The New TATE modern building

Going to London at any time to see artwork is an inspiring experience, the wealth of galleries the capital city boasts is something of a growing number. The Tate modern is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, meaning good news for the art world. This is part of the reason that the Tate has decided to increase there already sizeable facility to include an entire new building joining the side of the original site by the Thames. At the time of my visit the initial opening events and excitement had quietened down a fair amount, allowing me to visit and see for myself exactly what they had added and the extent to which it had been improved.

If I’m honest, I didn’t really know what to expect, and in all it did not disappoint at all. The original building remained is it always has, looming large as you enter into the turbine hall, except this time there were large walkways build across from the upper floors of the original building into the newly established levels of the new build. The Switch house, as they have named it, contains more space for performance, activities, more artwork and learning opportunities to allow art to be delivered to an ever increasing range of people. The Tate has an extensive collection of art that is rotated to allow for a fluid changing of exhibitions, with more work being on display than ever before. Upon walking across one of the walkways into the next building I realised that this was without a doubt definitely the case. Straight away you are transported into a wide open white wall gallery, brightly lit and tastefully curated with a range of work. Most strikingly we stumbled upon the Louise Bourgeois room, they had arrange some of her striking (almost disturbing) works including a tall spindly spider as well as cage that looked as if it belonged somewhere dark and forgotten about. This in complete contrast with the brightly lit, white wall space they found themselves in at this point. This curation caught my eye more than any other as it created a highly saturated focus point in a room that would otherwise swallow art works if they were not too careful.

It is safe to say that a whole week could be spent exploring the many rooms of the gallery but in this visit I am so glad that I was able to come up close with Bourgeois’ work. It invites you to pour yourself into the work to explore its meaning, only to realise that by the time you do its to late, the work has you and digs its claws in, leaving you with questions and a definite inability to rid yourself of the haunting style she has adopted with her nightmarish constructions. Captivating would be the word id use to describe her work, along with the overall feeling toward the new addition to this landmark gallery. It is safe to say that in the coming years I will be regularly visiting this huge addition to the London art world to gradually get tot the bottom of what they are offering, all before the change it round once again.