Editors’ note
Welcome to the 25th issue of Tate Etc. We are celebrating this little milestone by featuring a special section on the Tanks at Tate Modern, which open in July and mark another momentous moment in the history of Tate. For twelve years visitors from around the globe have enjoyed Tate Modern. Now the spectacular subterranean Tanks will add another dimension – extraordinary raw industrial spaces that, after their subtle transformation by architects Herzog & de Meuron, will play host to a festival of international cross-disciplinary and live event-based work and performance from past and present. These spaces promise to be some of the most exciting in the art world – a challenging new venue that will help to define the museum of the twenty-first century. And at the heart of the rich programme on show, which the curators describe as an ‘open manifesto’, is the audience. As Tate’s director Nicholas Serota says in his introduction to the Tanks section, the aim is that the works you see could ‘radically change the way people think about and experience art’ and ‘answer the enthusiasm of artists and the appetite of our audience’. We also have an insightful round table discussion with the curators, who reveal how they will bring the new spaces to life. We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to seeing you in the Tanks throughout the summer.
Bice Curiger and Simon Grant
