Marcus Coates, ‘Firebird, Rhebok, Badger and Hare’, 2008
Altermodern, the fourth Tate Triennial, which opens next week, presents some of the best new contemporary art in Britain. It includes works in all media – from photography, film and video, to extraordinary installations – and features many new works being shown for the first time.
The exhibition proposes a definition for a new form of art that celebrates a fresh energy and spirit in contemporary culture. Altermodern has been conceived by Nicolas Bourriaud, Gulbenkian Curator of Contemporary Art, and one of Europe’s most respected curators. Bourriaud founded the influential contemporary art gallery Palais de Tokyo in Paris and has been working at Tate Britain on the exhibition since 2007.
Bourriaud defines the work of a group of leading contemporary artists as Altermodern, or an alternative modern. The exhibition argues that the historical period defined by post-modernism is coming to an end, and a new art form for the 21st century is emerging. If early twentieth-century Modernism is characterised as a broadly Western cultural phenomenon, and Postmodernism was shaped by ideas of multi-culturalism, origins and identity, Altermodern is expressed in the language of a global culture. Altermodern artists channel the many different forms of social and technological networks offered by rapidly increasing lines of communication and travel in a globalised world.
The exhibition presents new and recent works by artists at the forefront of their generation – both artists living and working in Britain and those who are identified as ‘passers-by’. The artists featured include Franz Ackermann, Darren Almond, Charles Avery, Walead Beshty, Spartacus Chetwynd, Marcus Coates, Peter Coffin, Matthew Darbyshire, Shezad Dawood, Tacita Dean, Ruth Ewan, Loris Gréaud, Subodh Gupta, Rachel Harrison, Joachim Koester, Nathaniel Mellors, Gustav Metzger, Mike Nelson, David Noonan, Katie Paterson, Olivia Plender, Seth Price, Navin Rawanchaikul, Lindsay Seers, Bob and Roberta Smith, Simon Starling, Pascale Marthine Tayou and Tris Vonna-Michell.
Altermodern: Tate Triennial 2009
Supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
3 February – 26 April 2009 (Press View: 2 February 2009)
Tate Britain
Admission £7.80 (£4.90 concessions)
Open every day 10.00-17.50, and until 22.00 on the first Friday of the month. For tickets book online www.tate.org.uk/tickets or call +44 (0)20 7887 8888
