Years ago I went to the Tate Modern gallery up in London about ten years ago and was wondering around, checking out the paintings, the sculptures.
There was a small room, not much bigger than a cupboard, with an open door so that you could look in.
Inside was a miniature kitchen, filled with a huge collection of American kitchen utensils, ornaments, bits and pieces. What they all had in common was that they were from America, they dated from the 1960's and they were made of red plastic.
To this day, I have no idea what Robert Therrien's 'Red Room' is about, what it's supposed to mean.
But it meant a lot to me, the moment I saw it. I should explain that my Granny lived in America and she would send presents. Sometimes she'd visit and would bring things. A surprising number of them were made of red plastic.
When I looked into the 'Red Room', I immediately recognised a whole number of things that I'd grown up with in our house in the 1960's, presents from my Granny in the U.S.
I saw a red purse she'd given me. There was a red colander my Mum had in the kitchen as well as six or seven other things.
I don't know what the 'Red Room' could possibly have meant to all the people who saw it at Tate Modern, but to me it was an amazing trip back into my past.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
That's a nice trip.
ReplyDelete