Swung by the Tate Modern today and saw the Miroslaw Balka exhibit, which is basically a big dark room entitled ‘How It Is’. Described by the Tate Modern as:
How It Is alludes to recent Polish history – for example, the ramp at the entrance to the Ghetto in Warsaw, or the trucks which took Jews away to the camps of Treblinka or Auschwitz. By entering the dark space, visitors place considerable trust in the organisation, something akin to the risks often taken by immigrants travelling. Balka intends to provide an experience for visitors which is both personal and collective, creating a range of sensory and emotional experiences through sound, contrasting light and shade, individual experience and awareness of others, perhaps provoking feelings of apprehension, excitement or intrigue.
In all honesty, I didn’t really experience any of that. It was just novel to wander in to a large darkened container for a while, then briskly wander back out. A sentiment likely echoed by the large numbers of tourists and frolicking children enjoying the exhibit. Frankly much of this ‘modern art’ is lost on me. This is what the construction looks like from the outside:
It wasn’t really that dark in there either. I was hoping the Call of Duty night vision goggles would be required equipment, but alas no.
Oh oh, I heard about this. A girl at work went I think. It was “I really felt it, really really felt it, yeh, I did”
Hmmmm! Might have to go see if will have any effects on moi. How long is it on for?
Hmm, not sure…