Tate Modern Visit
A work that I liked:
Babel, 2001
by Clido Meireles
Meireles' work upon first inspection is a tower of radios of all ages playing different stations at the same time. Spectators are unable to pick out and listen to any one single radio, therefore creating a sense of confusion.
This sculptor actually relates to the biblical story of the 'Tower of Babel'. In this story, humans set out to build a tower tall enough to reach heaven. God was offended by this and retaliated by making each of the builders speak a different language.
Unable to understand one another, they became divided and once scattered over Earth, they started all of mankind's conflicts.
What I like most about Meireles' piece is the modern relevance that it carries despite being based on a biblical story.
I actually think that the confusion and headache caused by the radios inadvertently holds a mirror up to modern life - and human's constant use of social media and their need to stay up to date with all the latest trends and news.
A work I didn't like:
International Klein Blue - 'IKB'
by Yves Klein
"Blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions, whereas the other colours are not... blue suggests at most the sea and sky, and they, after all, are in actual, visible nature what is most abstract." - Yves Klein
By creating IBK, Klein wanted to take the sense of space he saw in the sky and turn it onto paint. He also trademarked this colour after manufacturing it with a paint supplier.
What I dislike most about this work is the message behind it, with Klein announcing at an early age "The blue sky is my first artwork". In my opinion, blue is blue. If Klein was to be known to frequently use a certain shade of blue then fair enough, but to trademark one as your own seems a little narcissistic.
A work that challenges me:
Valentine, 1966
by Evelyne Axell
The title of Axell's piece refers to Soviet cosmonaut 'Valentina Tereshkova', the first woman in space.
Much of Axell's work depicts the emancipation of women's sexuality in the 60's and 70's with a 'proto-feminist' stance - a view that anticipated modern feminism whilst it was still unknown.
This work challenges me because I totally agree with the celebration of women's rights and the social limitation of old-societies rules being lifted on all those in society.
However, Axell is depicting the first woman in space.
This piece had me questioning whether this is something that needs sexualising, or whether instead, as a society, we should be celebrating the gender equality movements that saw a woman go to space 2 years after man did in 1961.
Photobook that tells a story:
Another London, 1930's-80's
by international photographers and edited by Helen Delany and Simon Baker
This photobook caught my eye mainly because of the dates in which the photos were taken.
1930's to 80's in London covers a very broad range of social change.
For example, the time frame covers the windrush generation coming to London and making it their home. The challenges they faced settling into British society and their efforts to rebuild London and Britain after the second World War.
The book would see 7 Conservative governments and 4 of Labour's.
The dates encompass the abdication of King Edward 8th, the 7 year rule of King George 6th and the coronation of the far more modern monarchy led by Queen Elizabeth 2nd.
