Catastrophe Strikes the Tate Modern

A Columbian artist, Doris Solcedo had the unique opportunity to fill the tremendous Turbine Hall in the Tate Modern. The museum has invited many different types of artists to present their work and Salcedo was sold on the fact that she would be unique. Like most of her works the work she created for Turbine Hall had a very deep meaning consisting of social and political connections. The work "Shibboleth" was a crack in the floor's concrete that stretched 167m long, stretching the length of the giant hall. It took over a year to construct, but when it was done it hit viewers with amazing beauty. Salcedo explains that the crack shows elements of catastrophe from the inside of the crack and on the outside everyone recognizes the crack, but are not personally effected by it. She parallels this with her native country, Columbia, by referring to the crack as her countries problems and immigration. The whole world knows the travesties her native country goes through day to day, but since it is not effecting them it doesn't alter their view on the world. This piece was not as extravagant as others in the Turbine Hall, but it has meaning behind it that will push back viewers and allow them to look at the world a little differently when they leave the Hall.