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Tate 'crack' has Londoners falling over themselves
By Rashid Razaq, Evening Standard 10.10.07
Mind the gap: Doris Salcedo's 3ft deep and 584ft long installation, Shibboleth, is proving a big hit with visitors of all ages at Tate Modern
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The crack in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall floor proved a hit with visitors today - despite three people having fallen into it.
The gallery was packed with people who had come to see the installation, Shibboleth, by Colombian artist Doris Salcedo.
The trench, three feet deep and 548 feet long, swallowed up three people who ignored safety notices within hours of opening to the public, as revealed by The Londoner's Diary in yesterday's Evening Standard.
Today, there were no more accidents and visitors were full of praise for the work.
Valerie Edworthy, 33, from Leytonstone, visiting with her seven-month-old son Ciaran, said: "The installation is really impressive. Ciaran was jumping around in his pushchair.
"If Ciaran was a little older and was running around I'd still be perfectly comfortable to bring him along. It's up to parents to supervise their children. There isn't any big risk to people's safety."
Shannon Gage, 23, a Canadian student living in Clapham, said: "I really like the crack. It takes over the whole building.
"I didn't come here expecting to see this, so I was quite surprised, but it's ridiculous to suggest that somebody could hurt themselves."
Shibboleth is designed to draw attention to racism and the divisions within society.
Jason Sivanesan, 17, a student from Middlesex, said: "It's very thought-provoking. I think it has religious overtones."
Jackie Turner, 54, a medical statistician from Reading, said: "I think it will prompt a lot of discussion and maybe the safety aspect is one of those things, but overall it is impressive and a good work of art."
Tate visitors have also been trying to work out how the sculpture was made. Turkish architect Ferham Azman said: "It looks like they've taken a layer off the top and then in-filled with pre-cast pieces."
