Battle of the Galleries

October 9, 2006 7:16 AM

Art is power. Two of London's biggest names in art just went head to head. Yesterday the Serpentine Gallery opened an exhibition by new Chinese artists in Battersea Power Station, allowing the public to see inside the city's greatest piece of abandoned architecture for the first time. Not to be outdone the Tate Modern, the other London art gallery built in an abandoned power station, hits back with its new interactive exhibit tomorrow.
posted by Hogshead (15 comments total)

And someone's already got photos of both of them on Flickr.
posted by Hogshead at 7:19 AM on October 9, 2006

Is Banksy going to hit one of these? He's an attention whore but he IS entertaining.
posted by mkb at 7:24 AM on October 9, 2006

I'm going to assume that the two power stations transform into giant robots and battle each other with metal fisticuffs knee-deep in the Thames.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:26 AM on October 9, 2006

Ooo, water slides.
posted by smackfu at 7:29 AM on October 9, 2006

We were in the Tate modern looking at the slides last weekend and wondering if visitors will be allowed to slide down them. Given all the mention of 'visitor interactivity' on the Tate's website, here's hoping....
posted by primer_dimer at 7:44 AM on October 9, 2006

I'm suddenly very glad I live in London.

I love the Turbine Gallery, regardless of what they decide to actually put in there. An amazing space to have. Guaranteed to take your breath away the first time you see it.

Will definitely have to check out Battersea Power Station. (*mumblegrumblefivebloodyquidentryfeegrumble*)
posted by slimepuppy at 7:51 AM on October 9, 2006

I wonder if there were any flying pig sightings....
posted by Afroblanco at 7:54 AM on October 9, 2006

And there's also the 2006 Pavilion designed by Rem Koolhaas.
posted by shoepal at 8:07 AM on October 9, 2006

From the Link:

The Battersea Power Station site is set to be transformed into a dynamic newentertainment and events, cultural and commercial focus for London. It will become a platform for innovation, a place of inspiration where new thinking and new ideas will thrive.

I'll believe it when I see it. Too many false dawns, too many broken promises. Every morning I ride past it and it depresses me that we Londoners are letting one of our most iconic buildings fall into disrepair.
posted by dmt at 8:12 AM on October 9, 2006

Plus that doesn't even make sense:

The Battersea Power Station site is set to be transformed into a dynamic newentertainment and events, cultural and commercial focus for London.
posted by smackfu at 8:37 AM on October 9, 2006

The BBC seems to think that visitors will indeed be allowed to use the slides.
posted by Phanx at 8:57 AM on October 9, 2006

They'll have to put up the cooling tower which was knocked down by daleks first.
posted by Artw at 9:37 AM on October 9, 2006

And that's where Cybermen come from.
posted by smackfu at 10:37 AM on October 9, 2006

Yes but where are the elephants. Oh. This is pretty cool anyway.
posted by uni verse at 7:12 PM on October 9, 2006

The slides are definitely for sliding, and from the footage I've seen, the big ones are wild and fast. All Holler's work involves viewer interaction (or, in layman's terms, 'fun') - aside from his slides, he's best known for giving folk goggles that turn everything upside-down.
posted by jack_mo at 2:51 AM on October 10, 2006