Do you appreciate the beauty and quirkiness of modern art? The latest exhibitions at the Tate Modern Museum of Art are the perfect haven for those who enjoy and want to dive into the idiosyncratic world of modern and contemporary art.
In my trip to the museum, one of the exhibitions that stood out to me the most was Bob and Roberta Smith’s: “Thamesmead Codex”.
The artist (whose real name is Patrick Bill) an inhabitant of Thamesmead, interviewed a range of other inhabitants about their lives and thoughts on the town; the art is presented in a series of square canvases with either the words of the interviewees or saturated futuristic landscapes, much like the ones found in a codex.
I was incredibly fascinated with the stylistic choices in the written art such as the large text in the first line to emphasis each story’s introduction, and also the choice of colour to separate emotions and topics to further engage the viewer.
The illustrated landscape that caught my eye the most was a central square containing, what seemed like, a monochromatic purple moon (with a contorted face) above a body of water, perhaps a pool, with the water dripping monochromatically which creates a most enticing effect of a world that is melting.
Created in the time of Covid-19, the themes of uncertainty, hope, and caged creativity are cleverly reflected in the bizarre landscapes, hopeful reflections from the interviewees, and structural square canvases spaced far apart.
Another piece that caught my eye was the collection of photographs by New York street and landscape photographer Joel Meyerowitz, more specifically, the photos he took of smaller communities outside of New York.
These warm, colourful photographs juxtapose most of his black and white early work (some of which famously depicted the aftermath of 9/11) which is why I was more gripped by these.
The way in which light and colour was used to reflect the light and activity in the pictured individual lives was phenomenal, especially when paired with his expert placement of subjects within the frame which continually drew you to all the important elements of the scene as if you were immersed in it.
Overall, I strongly recommend taking a quick look at the Tate and these amazing exhibitions to open your mind to the weird and wonderful artists displayed!
