Cildo meireles A'maze'ing exhibition

Mr Cildo Meireles. Okay so on friday i went to the tate modern to see cildo meireles exhibition, i'd never heard of him before and to be quite honest im not really into 'modern' art so i was abit apprehensive, however... it was probably the best one ive been to! It was like a dangerous and intimate funfair... going from one surreal instillation to the other! The fact that nearly all of his peices were interactive just topped it off, it enabled you to become a part of that piece and it was truly memorable!

'Through'

'How to build cathedrals'

In the main room there are a series of his creations, they are all sectioned off by hanging drapes, so anturally they become very alluring and every area seems personal and secretive. The main attraction is the centre piece called 'Through'. Looking at it from afar creates a feeling of danger and enticement. Stepping on to the shattered glass which littered the floor gave you an alrming sensation, living on the edge almost, as if any sudden movement would send your foot sinking into the shards of glass. It was slow progress as you worked your way through the labyrinth to get to the heart of the peice, go to fast and you'd tumble into the barbed wire that was trying to mask itself as a railing! Lining the way were skeleton fish swimming in tanks as you wandered past again adding to that sence of delicateness and danger, at the centre was a large ball of cellephane, a delicate ball of light seemingly trapped at the centre of a hazardous field of glass and boundries.

Also in the same room was the 'penny pit' a representation of the exploitation of wealth. The shimmering lights which reflected of the pennys created a seductive atmosphere and it took me at least 5 minutes to realise there were bones hanging above my head! I guess its a good take on how money can manipulate people, even if it is just a wash of pennys.

Probably the most scariest room was the 'red shift'. On entering the room its an immidiate effect, it was bizzarre, it took at least a few rounds of the room in order to establish the different objects and take them all in. It was just a merge of colour, vivid reds which seemed to almost blur your vision. Then as you round the corner it takes a sinister turn, theres a spilt bottle of 'sauce' on the floor, a disturbing river of red. The suspence and anticipation of turning the dark corner was incredible, even with a small group of people we were all reluctant to go first! Along the far wall is a tap illuminated and running 'red' water. Its as if its protuding from the very wall and the images it evokes are similar to that of a saw movie! Even worse was walking up to it, you cant tell where the wall its on is...it was like trying to walk down the stairs in the dark! Very eerie.

A bit more light hearted but just as chaotic was my second favorite room. 'Fontes'. With the sound from the radio tower in the other room drifting in and the ticking form the dismatled clocks hanging along the walls it created a carnival like atmosphere. It was like playing hide and seek when you was little. It was amazing, and also extremly claustrophobic to work your way to the centre with the 'walls' seeming to cave in around you and physically trap you and swallow you up! A path into the unknown!

Last but not least was by far the best room. The antcipation is unbearable as you wait outside the big white door to go it. Wellies at the ready, its onto a sea of talcum powder that you emerge. Its surrreal, as if your walking through the softest of snow, and as the door closes behind you the unnerving but intimate surrounding leads you around the corner to a soft glow emitting from a tiny candle. I think that had i been on my own in this room, it would have been alot more terrifying, however i had my trusty amigos with me and so therfore it turned into a mysterious and funny journey into a land of silky talcum powder.

I had so much fun i decided to leave my tights covered in talcum powder for the rest of the day!