London’s Tate Modern is turning 25 this May, and to celebrate the museum will reunite visitors with some of the most iconic works in its history. Among them is “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois, a 30-foot-tall bronze spider, returning to the Turbine Hall for the first time since 2000.
Like a creature straight from a dream (or nightmare,) the sculpture pays tribute to the artist’s own mother, who worked as a weaver in a textile workshop, Embodying themes of nurture and vulnerability, the sculpture’s slender, steel figure, while evoking a sense of awe and fear, casts a protective shadow over the space as she shelters her sac of marble eggs.
“Maman” will anchor a new trail throughout the museum featuring 25 key works, both old and new, including favorites like Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals and Dorothea Tanning’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” hailing from Paris. Contemporary highlights will feature an immersive multi-screen installation by Nalini Malani and Meschac Gaba’s live tarot readings.
Complementing the trail will be two new shows that explore art as a lens for a rapidly-shifting world, also opening during the anniversary weekend. The climate crisis and ecological injustice will come into full focus in Gathering Ground, showcasing recent acquisitions by Outi Pieski, Carolina Caycedo and Abbas Zahedi. Meanwhile, A Year in Art: 2050 will explore the progression of futuristic vision in art, spanning works from Italian Futurist Umberto Boccioni to digital artist Ayoung Kim.
In addition to the presented works, visitors are invited to experience a host of live performances, workshops, talks and tours from May 9–12. “Our birthday weekend will be a wonderful chance to see what we do best and get a taste of where we’re going next,” says museum director Karin Hindsbo.
Check out Tate Modern’s website for more information.
