Tate Extension Opening

OH and I had a rare Monday off which we didn't realise the other had taken until the start of the weekend (yep we're great communicators :)

I had booked the day's leave as I knew I would be shattered following a busy few days going on a photowalk,  Blogtacular and Open Squares Weekend so was looking forward to a quiet Monday to collect my thoughts. OH on the other hand suggested visiting the new Tate Modern Extension which had opened that weekend suggesting it would be quieter given it was a Monday. He knows how to press my buttons as I summed up a second wind, grabbed the camera and off we went.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak view of the original Tate Modern before it opened 16 years ago. It had been a favourite building of mine for years before it's transformation so it was like opening a long awaited present. The impact of the architecture still resonates with me today with those first steps down the long slope into the belly of the Turpentine Hall. I was apprehensive that the new kid on the block wouldn't have the same impact but I'm happy to say the building is stunning.

It's entrance was disappointing as we wound through the crowds from the old building back into the open before finding a side door next to a shop. However once inside it was vast, angular, rough yet beautiful. 

 It reminded me of a huge cathedral worshiping at the alter of  Modern Art 

 It wasn't all straight lines and angles. Look at this curve of this sweeping staircase (we saw a lot of stairs as the queues for the slow moving lifts were unreal). 

There were so many vantage points to look up, down and out from. 

 But I just don't get modern art. There I've said it. 

 OH and I wondered through room after room of 'art' but most of it just baffled me if I'm honest 

Even the infamous Bricks were there, carefully roped off.

 And you could interact with some of the art, here you could lie down and be part of it.... still unsure about how I feel about this. 

 I did find one piece I really liked which is this great selfie piece. When you looked in you not only saw yourself in a kaleidoscope but you also saw the faces of people looking in from the other side.  

 This map was made up of pieces and while you seemed able to walk over it I accidentally kicked a panel and immediately thought I would be kicked out for desecrating the art work! 

 Even in the Louise Bourgeois Artist Room I still didn't get the pieces 

 I'd been looking forward to seeing one of her famous spiders but it seemed to be dwarfed in the space it say in surrounded by lots of other art works. Ironically given the building was so huge it felt as if this piece needed it's own space so you could fully appreciate it. 

 Though I did like these two small heads 

 So OH and I were working our way up to the top floor (no mean feet given this was on the 10th Floor!) but whilst I was taking a quick breather on floor number 7 (I'm ridiculously unfit) we bumped into our friend who volunteers at the Tate who was also making his way up to the view. 

 So this, apart from the architecture, was the best thing about the new Tate Extension. 

 The view

 Look St Paul's - AGAIN 

 London is currently a giant building site and views like this show how much of the capital is changing 

 But was a great opportunity for great reflections though I'm worried that new buildings are turning London into one giant mirror!

After enjoying the view for about half an hour (and having a catch up with our friend) we left the extension via a bridge on the fourth floor which over looked the Turbine Hall which currently has the Ai Weiwei tree on display 

 Working our way down it was great taking pictures of this from different floors 

 Finally this was taken from the escalator going down, down, down. 

So in conclusion the new Tate Extension looks fantastic but I just don't get the content. It's still a building I love and love wandering round the galleries but I'm looking at the surroundings and people rather than the art. I'm still trying to decide whether this is good or bad..... What do you think?