Tate Modern's Turbine Hall has become a laughingstock, with the latest installation struggling to make an impact. The annual commission has lost its edge, and it's puzzling why Tate continues to prioritize artists over art itself. Maria Balshaw's departure as director of the institution is being unfairly blamed for this decline, but perhaps she's taking one for the team – allowing Tate to reinvent itself from the inside out.
The problem runs deeper than just one person, however. The true culprit lies in Tate's loss of artistic ambition and its focus on politics over aesthetics. The museum's collection displays have become an insult to visitors' intelligence, with treasures like Rothkos and Picassos regularly removed from view. This is a stark contrast to the exceptional exhibitions that occasionally do make it to the Turbine Hall, such as the Cézanne blockbuster in 2022.
Even those shows are often marred by unnecessary side battles between art and politics. The inclusion of contemporary artists' "interventions" can detract from the main event – in this case, understanding the enigmatic works of Cézanne. It's like trying to unravel a puzzle with too many irrelevant pieces. The result is an experience that leaves even the most passionate art lovers bewildered.
One area where Tate still shines is in its retrospectives of modern greats. However, since Cézanne and Rodin, these exhibitions have become increasingly rare. The highlight of Balshaw's tenure was a Leigh Bowery exhibition, but what would have made it truly exceptional was a comprehensive showcase of all Lucian Freud's portraits of the legendary model.
Instead, Tate chose to focus on one aspect rather than the bigger picture. This kind of thinking has led to criticism from critics and visitors alike – people have been voting with their feet (or rather, their attendance figures). While Balshaw may be leaving behind a legacy of underwhelming exhibitions, it's unfair to blame her for the institution's overall decline.
The problem runs deeper than just one person. Tate has a history of prioritizing ideology over art and aesthetics. The current leadership seems immune to criticism, and its willingness to make arrogant, crass choices has alienated even more visitors. This is not just about Balshaw; it's about the direction of the entire institution.
If Tate wants to reclaim its status as a world-class art museum, it needs to rethink its priorities. It can't simply replace one leader with another; instead, it must fundamentally change its approach. The recent departure of Penelope Curtis from Tate Britain and the male head of the current leadership both raise concerns about a misogynistic bias against powerful women. This is not just about Balshaw's exit but about the institution's values and direction.
Tate Modern needs to take a step back, reassess its goals, and rediscover what makes it truly special – art for art's sake. Until then, it will continue to struggle with its own identity crisis.
The problem runs deeper than just one person, however. The true culprit lies in Tate's loss of artistic ambition and its focus on politics over aesthetics. The museum's collection displays have become an insult to visitors' intelligence, with treasures like Rothkos and Picassos regularly removed from view. This is a stark contrast to the exceptional exhibitions that occasionally do make it to the Turbine Hall, such as the Cézanne blockbuster in 2022.
Even those shows are often marred by unnecessary side battles between art and politics. The inclusion of contemporary artists' "interventions" can detract from the main event – in this case, understanding the enigmatic works of Cézanne. It's like trying to unravel a puzzle with too many irrelevant pieces. The result is an experience that leaves even the most passionate art lovers bewildered.
One area where Tate still shines is in its retrospectives of modern greats. However, since Cézanne and Rodin, these exhibitions have become increasingly rare. The highlight of Balshaw's tenure was a Leigh Bowery exhibition, but what would have made it truly exceptional was a comprehensive showcase of all Lucian Freud's portraits of the legendary model.
Instead, Tate chose to focus on one aspect rather than the bigger picture. This kind of thinking has led to criticism from critics and visitors alike – people have been voting with their feet (or rather, their attendance figures). While Balshaw may be leaving behind a legacy of underwhelming exhibitions, it's unfair to blame her for the institution's overall decline.
The problem runs deeper than just one person. Tate has a history of prioritizing ideology over art and aesthetics. The current leadership seems immune to criticism, and its willingness to make arrogant, crass choices has alienated even more visitors. This is not just about Balshaw; it's about the direction of the entire institution.
If Tate wants to reclaim its status as a world-class art museum, it needs to rethink its priorities. It can't simply replace one leader with another; instead, it must fundamentally change its approach. The recent departure of Penelope Curtis from Tate Britain and the male head of the current leadership both raise concerns about a misogynistic bias against powerful women. This is not just about Balshaw's exit but about the institution's values and direction.
Tate Modern needs to take a step back, reassess its goals, and rediscover what makes it truly special – art for art's sake. Until then, it will continue to struggle with its own identity crisis.
I think Tate Modern has lost sight of what made it so iconic in the first place... it's all about pushing boundaries and showcasing game-changing art 
The Turbine Hall was meant to be a space where artists could really experiment and push the limits of what we consider "art". Instead, it feels like they're playing it safe and trying to appease everyone 
. They need to take some risks and let the art speak for itself... no more unnecessary side battles or politics 
. It's time for them to focus on creating a truly immersive experience that leaves visitors in awe 
. The annual commission, once the highlight of the museum's calendar, now feels like an afterthought, lacking the depth and impact that once characterized these exhibitions. I think this decline is less about Maria Balshaw's departure and more about the institution's own identity crisis 
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. The Leigh Bowery exhibition was a highlight of Balshaw's tenure, but it could have been so much more if Tate had taken a more comprehensive approach to showcasing Lucian Freud's work 
. Tate Modern needs to take a step back, reassess its goals, and rediscover what makes it truly special – art for art's sake 
. Until then, it will continue to struggle with its own identity crisis 
. I mean, what happened to all those sick Rothko and Picasso masterpieces on display? Now they're just chillin' in storage, collecting dust. It's like Tate's lost touch with its art cred. They should be focusing on more than just pushing politics and ideology down our throats 
They should've gone all in on that one instead of just focusing on a single aspect.
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another art museum is tanking 
Tate Modern's Turbine Hall used to be the highlight of their year but now it's just a mess 
no offense to Maria Balshaw but she's probably taking one for the team by leaving 
tate needs to rethink its priorities and stop focusing on ideology over art 
i mean, it's kinda sad to see the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall falling flat after all these years... like, where's the edge? 
but honestly, i think the problem runs deeper than just one person or show. tate's lost its artistic ambition and focus on aesthetics for politics... it's like they're more concerned with what's trendy than actual art 
and that's why people are leaving in droves 
I'm so done with Tate Modern right now 
They've lost sight of what art is all about - showcasing iconic pieces like Rothko and Picasso without trying to shoehorn in some superfluous "intervention" 
. The fact that Balshaw is leaving and people are blaming her for the decline is a joke 
. Tate needs to take a long, hard look at itself and figure out what went wrong 
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u think the problem lies wiv politics over aesthetics? idk, but i do know dat more exhibitions on lucian freud would b awesome 
But no, instead we get watered-down exhibitions that confuse and underwhelm the crowd. It's like they're not even trying to engage with the art itself anymore 
Can't just swap out one leader for another; need to shake up the whole system. And please, let's not forget about that misogynistic bias... Penelope Curtis leaving Tate Britain was a huge blow 
It's like they want to confuse people on purpose 
. The only time Tate really gets it right is when they do retrospectives, but those need to be more frequent too... we can't just wait for the next big artist to come along every few years 
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. We need more exhibitions like Cézanne's or Rodin's, not just one-off pieces that are all about the artist rather than the art itself. And what's going on with the retrospectives? They're so few and far between! It's like Tate is forgetting its purpose – to bring people together through art 
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. She was trying to do something new, but it looks like Tate just wasn't ready for it. And now they're blaming her for the institution's problems? Not cool 
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. She was a great director and I'm sure she did her best with the resources they had. It's time for Tate to take a closer look at their priorities and make some real changes 
. Can't they just let the art speak for itself? 
. I mean, who needs all that extra stuff when you have Rothkos and Picassos just chillin' in a gallery? 
. A show featuring Lucian Freud's portraits would've been EPIC 
. She was trying to do something new and different, but it didn't quite work out 
and remember what made it awesome in the first place 
. Now it just feels... meh 