Tate Modern, London
Tate Modern at a Glance
As London's foremost modern art galleries, Tate Modern contains England's collection of modern art starting from 1900 to today. Receiving 5.7 million visitors each year it's one of the world's top ten most frequented museums and galleries. The collection hosts masterpieces of British and international modern art.
If you think you might just be a bit overwhelmed as to where to begin browsing, use my practical list to guide you to 10 significant artworks you won't want to overlook while visiting.
10 Top Must-See Masterpieces at Tate Modern
1. Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso
Although Tate Modern hosts a number of Pablo Picasso's works, one of the more notable pieces is the Weeping Woman. The painter's subject was his lover, Dora Maar, and the artwork is intended to represent the several tragic victims caused by the Spanish Civil War, including costing subject of the painting her child as the bombing of Guernica raged.
2. Natalia Goncharova Exhibit
One of the few short-term displays presently at the Tate Modern, the museum is showcasing the artwork of Russian avant-garde painter Natalia Goncharova. She became famous during the movement in 1913 at the age of 32, pushing the boundaries back of what was permitted in art prior to WWl.
3. Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol
Warhol's pop culture type of art style helped make him one of the 20th century's most famous artists by assisting the public realize celebrities and everyday things can also turn into art. By painting Marilyn Monroe repeatedly till the icon vanishes, Warhol achieves in reminding his viewers that even fame is short-lived.
4. Uncertainty of the Poet by Giorgio de Chirico
On the surface, it's surely an odd painting. The artist was a hardcore fan of the Surrealists during his early days. Giorgio's Uncertainty of the Poet shows the marked contrasts between the ancient and the temporary, juxtaposing stone archways and a statue of Aphrodite with a passing train and browning bananas. He brings together at once the timeless and the fleeting.
5. Seagram Murals by Mark Rothko
Probably the only piece to appear on this list in many similar works, the Seagram Murals came into existence after the artist abandoned his day job painting murals for restaurants in New York. He took a bit of a dark turn as a consequence and painted the Seagram Murals to mirror what he experienced was the claustrophobic aura of Michaelangelo's Laurentian Library.
6. The Great Day of His Wrath by John Martin
The artist does an outstanding job of showing a thunderous rolling storm together with volcanic eruptions which is a third visual in his apocalypse series. According to St. John's revelation, it's a horrifying portrayal of God's wrath during the Last Judgement, while cataclysms take over the world.
7. The Snail by Henri Matisse
The painting doesn't have much to do with the tiny slimy creature, but the artist tried to place the bright rectangles in a sort of spiral shape which slightly resembles a snail's shell. Matisse received some help from his aides while he was sick and coping with a difficult divorce from his wife. It's a lovely work that tells us that no number of adverse circumstances could really hold us back.
8. Number 14 by Jackson Pollock
If you wish to get an idea of the kind of joke Starlord did in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, you're recommended to experience Jackson Pollock's abstract expressionist artwork. Though the white and black oil on the canvas might seem like the artist only threw black paint on a white canvas, you have to look closely to see what's really there.
9. Jenny Holzer Exhibit
Painter Jenny Holzer features some fine samples of thought-provoking displays. Holzer's artwork can be seen on the streets of large cities and in museums such as Tate Modern. The artist's performance artwork is intended to be secretive, not reinforcing the meaning over and over again, but more for the audience to figure out.
10. Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali
The artist's work is definitely some of the most fascinating pieces you'll likely discover in the Tate modern. Metamorphosis of Narcissus permits the artist to stamp his own distinct spin on the classical Greek myth. The artwork portrays Narcissus as he gazes at his reflection and his unexpected transformation into the narcissus flower.
