Tate Modern – A Guide
London’s Tate Modern opened in 2000 on the south side of the river Thames, next to the Globe Theatre and across from St. Paul’s Cathedral. The museum is housed in what used to be the Bankside Power Station. Tate Modern is part of a family of art galleries and museums that includes Tate Britain and Tate Liverpool as well.
Tate Modern displays contemporary and modern artwork dating from 1900. The five level museum takes a unique approach to exhibiting artwork. It groups works together thematically rather than chronologically. The Tate’s permanent collection is displayed on levels three and five. The first two levels showcase art from contemporary artists while the fourth level is used for large temporary exhibitions.
The permanent collection is divided into four themes: Material Gestures, Poetry and Dream, Energy and Process, and States of Flux. Material Gestures is on level 3 and showcases works by Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist painters such as Claude Monet and Mark Rothko. The Poetry and Dream exhibition is also on the third floor and focuses on the work of the Surrealists and those who came after. On level five, the States of Flux display exhibits works by Cubists, Futurists, and artists they influenced. Artists whose work is on display in States of Flux include Marcel Duchamp, Robert Frank, and Ed Ruscha. The Energy and Process display, also on the fifth level, showcases works of sculpture from the 1960s onwards, including works from Arte Provera artists and the Post-Minimalist movement.
The first floor of Tate Modern includes the Turbine Hall, which is a five story space that previously held the power station’s electricity generators. A special exhibition runs from October to March in the Turbine Hall each year. Past artists such as Louise Bourgeois and Anish Kapoor have showcased works in the Hall.
Level two of the Tate Modern displays art from the newest of the new in contemporary art. These exhibitions typically only run for two or three months. The fourth level is used to hold the Modern’s major temporary exhibitions. While admission to the rest of the Modern is free, the exhibitions on the fourth floor usually charge an admission fee.
Tate Modern is a ten minute walk from several Tube stations, including Southwark, St. Paul’s, and Mansion House. Visitors can also take the Tate Boat from the Modern to the Tate Britain.
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