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Artist takes a crack at Tate Modern
By Louise Jury, Evening Standard 08.10.07
Jagged edge: A Tate staff member inspects the Colombian artist Doris Salcedo's work Shibboleth
Earth shattering: The 500ft crack aims to highlight divisions in society
It is a giant gash across the floor of Tate Modern - or so it seems.
Colombian artist Doris Salcedo has sent what looks like a bolt of lightning more than 500 feet across the floor of the Turbine Hall.
The work is the first in the Unilever series of commissions inaugurated with the gallery in 2000 to interfere with the building itself.
The artist aims to draw attention to racism and the divisions in society. "Its appearance disturbs the Turbine Hall in the same way the appearance of immigrants disturbs the consensus and homogeneity of European societies," she said.
The work, entitled Shibboleth, is the eighth in a series that has been some of the most popular public artworks ever seen in London.
Olafur Eliasson drew giant crowds when he presented his giant sun installation, Weather Project, in 2003 and thousands enjoyed Carsten Holler's slides last year.
Other artists to have filled the hall include Rachel Whiteread and Anish Kapoor.
Doris Salcedo normally declines to explain her working methods but a gallery spokeswoman suggested today that the latest installation was something of an optical illusion. "It has the appearance as if the whole floor has opened up."
It begins as a hairline crack at the west entrance and widens and deepens as it runs the length of the building. Wire mesh, used to define borders, is embedded within the opening.
Shibboleth opens to the public tomorrow and is on display until 6 April 2008.
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Reader views (4)
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Some people said the new olympic logo was a complete waste of money and like graffitti. Yet the publicity it attracted must have been worth many millions of pounds and may prove to be the best remembred ever. Likewise the TATE crack is a publicity masterstroke, cogratulations. Thought provocative art at its best.
- James Anderson, Bristol
It is the King's new suit of clothes all over again.
What happened to the seven comments that were on last night plus my comment that these people need a kick up their posterior aspects?
- Jim Maxwell, Buckley, Wales
A floor with a deep crack is damaged or was shoddy in the first place. It seems strange to me that so much time and money has been spent on making something new look damaged.
Perhaps the workmen who didn't pave my neighbours patio properly should have told her it was a "work of art".
A floor that is also a work of art is something like the Cosmati pavement in Westminster Abbey or the mosaics at Fishbourne or Bignor. Work of a quality I doubt Miss Salcedo is capable of.
- Cam, London
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