Andrew Lambirth

Why Tate Modern seems more like a playground than an art gallery

Britain’s shift from manufacturing to services was reflected in its art, and by the 1960s the message had become more important than the making

‘In Real Life’ exhibition at Tate Modern, 2019. [Alamy]

This book covers the period 1878-2000, offering thought provoking commentary on some 120 years of experiments in being modern, and begins with the famous court case after John Ruskin accused James Whistler of ‘flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face’. But Michael Bird does not limit his perspective to a single artist or cause per chapter.

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