Tate Modern

I like some modern artists but I've never been a particularly big fan of 'modern art'. Unfortunately, they're remodelling the Tate Modern so only one of the two gallery floors was open which was a shame. One gallery wing (that was open) contained everything that sort of epitomises what I hate about modern art. The 4m long paintings that offices pay hundreds of pounds for - where the talented artist has painted the board all one color - with a single stripe of a different colour down another side. Then there's the paintings where they quite literally have thrown paint at a board and waited to see if they like the end result. The paintings where the accompanying writeup crows over how the artist has 'reached their inner child' and it does indeed look like something that one of my toddlers have drawn in class. Actually the write-ups are fantastic, they soumd like they've been written by a BA graduate who couldn't find anything better to do and so stil continues writing psycho-sexual BA bullshit for a living. In saying all this though, I suppose modern art has it's place. It forces one to contemplate and think. After all, the brain screams, something this expensive can't simply look shite can it? There must be some deeper meaning or wider story related to it. One of the kindergarten-style pieces did indeed remind me of Invader Zim. So you walk around making up little stories in your head and observing how everyone else is trying to adopt this posh knowing look while whispering to the people next to them as you pass - 'What the hell is that?'

I did like their Surrealists & Dream gallery better though. I love Dali and the surrealists with their fantasty (fantastical) and gothic works. Sadly the surrealists were sadly lacking from the postcard rack so it's the only place I've been to so far where I didn't bother to pick up a postcard to send home!