Trashing the Tate Triennial
In today’s Guardian, Adrian Searle takes no prisoners in his review of the Tate Triennial, proclaiming it to be “an exhibition full of lifeless art.”
His first target is curator Beatrix Ruf, director of the Kunsthalle Zurich, describing her introductory essay, and other contributions to the catalogue, as “masterpieces of institutional guff.” He goes on to say “the catalogue is one of the most patronising and smug collections of redundant and frequently meaningless prose it has been my misfortune to read in a long time.”
The art itself gets a similar rough ride and, with few exceptions, falls spectacularly under his scathing pen. A review, from the heart I thought, where common sense, so often a casualty in the modern art world, gets tough in a sea of bullshit.
A must read piece I think - so read it here
Read the Tate’s official line here
February 28th, 2006 at 9:11 am
I am (almost) speechless. I guess you already know that I don’t think very highly of most modern and conceptual art, but there is some stuff that is OK.
This kind of pointless and pretentious drivel is an insult to the few pieces of modern art that DO have value.
March 3rd, 2006 at 10:36 am
I have been to the Triennial and Searle is yesterdays news. He is not from the heart as the previous mail claims - his writing is uncritical and subjective to say the least - he is a well known hater. Damming 36 artists is really stupid. The curatorial theme maybe weak but the art is not all bad… I really liked OTOLITH the film - I thought it was brilliant … as did I Simon Martins film… Searle should stop being such a powermonger..
March 12th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Maybe you should read Waldemar Januszczak’s take on the Triennial in today’s Sunday Times.
Link