In the 1960s and 70s, the Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz created radical sculptures from woven fibre. They were soft not hard; ambiguous and organic; towering works that hung from the ceiling and pioneered a new form of installation. They became known as the Abakans.
This exhibition presents a rare opportunity to explore this extraordinary body of work. Many of the most significant Abakans will be brought together in a forest-like display in the 64-metre long gallery space of the Blavatnik Building at Tate Modern.
The exhibition explores this transformative period of Abakanowicz’s practice when her woven forms came off the wall and into three-dimensional space. With these works she brought soft, fibrous forms into a new relationship with sculpture. A selection of early textile pieces and her little-known drawings are also on show.
Magdalena Abakanowicz was born in 1930 in Poland and came of age during the Second World War. Living in Poland under the Communist regime, she established a career as an international artist and her work is included in many public and private collections around the world.
Exhibition organised by Tate Modern in collaboration with the Fondation Toms Pauli at the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne/Plateforme 10 and Henie Onstad Art Centre, Høvikodden.
With generous thanks to the Fundacja Marty Magdaleny Abakanowicz Kosmowskiej i Jana Kosmowskiego.
Magdalena Abakanowicz Abakan Yellow 1970 Photo © Tate (Joe Humphrys)
Photo © Tate (Joe Humphrys)
Photo © Tate (Joe Humphrys)
Photo © Tate (Joe Humphrys)
All Tate Modern entrances are step-free. You can enter via the Turbine Hall and into the Natalie Bell Building on Holland Street, or into the Blavatnik Building on Sumner street.
The exhibition is on Level 2 of the Blavatnik building. There are lifts to every floor of the Blavatnik and Nathalie Bell buildings. Alternatively you can take the stairs.
- Fully accessible toilets are located on every floor on the concourses.
- A quiet room is available to use in the Natalie Bell Building on Level 4.
- Ear defenders can be borrowed from the Ticket desks.
To help plan your visit to Tate Modern, have a look at our visual story. It includes photographs and information of what you can expect from a visit to the gallery.
For more information before your visit:
Email hello@tate.org.uk
Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 – option 1 (daily 09.45–18.00)
Our exhibition guide explores the exhibition room by room.
Need a bigger font size of the exhibition guide? Download the large print guide [496KB]
