Queer British art at the Tate Britain

To my memory, I didn’t think that I had visited the Tate Britain before this particular visit. We had travelled to London in order to look at a whole host of the artwork the capital has to offer, the Tate being one of the main ones we were aiming for. The permanent collection throughout the free to access section of the gallery was highly enjoyable, and only when we came to the main hall section in the middle of the gallery did I remember the visit that I had made years before. The memory was triggered by the large central columns that you encounter as you enter the front of the building. There is a picture online of me hugging one of the colossal pillars with a huge smile on my face. So it was nice to be back and being ready to view and explore everything the gallery has to offer.

At the time of my visit, the Tate was hosting the Queer British art retrospective, covering a range of Queer influences in culture from the late 1800’s to the mid to late 1900’s. The array of works was fascinating, most notably of all Oscar Wilde’s prison door from the period he was incarcerated. This displayed alongside a very well cared for full body portrait of the author himself, each work was accompanied by an explanation of the thinking behind the room the work found itself within. This, I felt, was a fantastic way to work through an exhibition with this linear kind of backing. The work really provided a look into the development of Queer influences throughout the creative side to this country. Sexual orientation is something that is currently under the spotlight more than ever before, with various groups and individuals campaigning for acknowledgement of the wide range of people currently living with discrimination on a daily basis. By displaying the defiance and strength of will to push against the closed minded mainstream that has held down non-heterosexual people. Eye opening is the only way I feel I can sum up the exhibition, so much is out there in terms of richness and diversity that we all need to be more accepting without disregarding others.