I went to Tate Modern on a chilly winter day to see Pop Life exhibition - Art in a Material World. While waiting for my friend, I got to explore "How it is" - a huge black box installation in Turbine Hall where visitors have to navigate themselves. There's no direction or indication of how far and how deep the box is after one steps in. It's a giant grey steel structure with a dark chamber, with walls of black velvet texture. I notice the huge difference in people's ways to exploring the dark chamber - the solo visitors having no points of references are advancing very slowly, while group of 2 or 3, holding each other, can advance with less fear.
The magic moment for me was when I finally touch the wall at end of the dark room. I turned back to see the light coming from the open end of the dark chamber (ramp) and realised that I was no longer afraid! That threshold moment was mind-blowingly overwhelming - because in 0.0001 second, I abandoned the world of darkness and confusion and stepped into the world of light and certainty!
Business:
This is a series of commissioned projects by Unilever to stage big installations in Turbine Hall. Entry is free. It started in 2002 I think. Another fine example of business and art marriage. http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/unileverseries2010/default.shtm
To do this in China?
The art experience itself can be universally applied across the globe I believe. A perfect location to stage such an installation to maximise its influence might be in a shopping mall instead of modern art museum. Art museums don't attract a mass crowd yet in China, so maybe only by borrowing the crowd in shopping malls, projects like this can reach its maximum audience.
