Kunst Korner: 'Tobacco versus Red Chief' by Jean Michel Basquiat


Sometimes living in London is the shits ... and you wonder why we do it. Then there are times that I think it's the greatest place to be. Today it's the latter.

So I'm working at an agency down on the river Thames behind the Globe theatre at London Bridge and I'm wondering what to do for lunch as I don't feel particularly hungry, so I decide to go for a walk around Tate Modern. I've done it many times before so nothing new there. What is new is that for once, somebody has decided to hang some fantastic art on those huge walls. I say for once because for a year it has been completely uninspiring and bland but not anymore.

So why not pop down there (missing out the Turbine Hall) and go straight for the third floor and feast your eyes on some fantastic paintings that you may never have seen before e.g. 'Tobacco versus Red Chief' by Jean Michel Basquiat(which is much more impressive than this jpeg may suggest).You can see whatthe Carnegie museum says about it here: http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmag/bk_issue/1997/julaug/feat6c.htm

What else? Monet's "Water Lillies" more modern than ever, Chris Ofili's tribute to Stephen Lawrence, Raqib Shaw's "Jane", Albert Oehlen's "Loa", Paul McCarthy's videos, and a room of Viennese mutilation.

I walked out of the Tate on to the riverside walk looking straight at St Paul's & I did indeed think that London is the greatest place to be. No such thing as a free lunch? I beg to differ.

Comments

  1. Anonymous18 March 2009 at 05:27

    I sat and stared at this for quite awhile yesterday. But even after reading your tweet, I didn't know you captured it on your blog! But yes, I too, was really impressed with the Tate Modern this time around. And also the Chris Ofili one - pretty intense and such a sad story behind it. Nice blog!!

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