Tino Seghal is way cool

     Last night we went to the Tino Seghal exhibit at the Tate Modern. I understand why people might see some modern art and think it’s bullox. In the case of this exhibit, I am not one of those people. I will describe it to you, and you can decide for yourself.

     “These Experiences” by Tino Seghal takes up the entire bottom floor entrance of the museum in a space reminiscent of a warehouse. Depending on when you arrive, various things may be going on within the exhibit because this piece is not possessed of things or paintings or objects of any kind. It is all people. When I arrived, all the “artists” or “participants” or whatever Tino calls them, were at the far end of the room walking backwards slowly and zombie-like. The people were very diverse looking—men, women, young, old, and many ethnic groups were represented. They were dressed in everyday clothes, all normal people you wouldn’t look twice at on the street. I am sure their sartorial choices and general aesthetic were all directorial decisions. Suddenly, they all started chanting. When the chanting stopped they moved slowly forward while staring straight ahead. Eventually, they broke from their trances, and each participant told a personal story to an audience member of their choice.

     A woman came up to me and spoke about her life in Poland and how there had been a time during her childhood when she was forced to lie about her Catholicism (to pretend to be one) even though she and her sister were atheists. This woman was about my age and very articulate but soft-spoken. I felt as if she were sharing a very poignant piece of her history with me. I commented and discussed some things with her and then when she was done, she said to me, “This piece is called ‘These Experiences’ and it is by the artist Tino Seghal.” Then, she walked away.

     I sat on the cement floor for a bit and watched the artists mingle with the spectators. Eventually, a man in the piece sat down next to me and started talking. He told me a story involving his “first step mom” and her influence in his life. It, too, was poignant and personal. Neither conversation I had was too vulnerable nor was it emotional; they were simply personal. Even though we talk to people every day, there was something very powerful about connecting with these strangers through dialogue in this art piece. For me, “These Experiences” is an artistic representation of the human experience. Many things separate us (space, time, labels, language etc…) but we come together, too. Our experiences of life are both individual and collective, and we are changed by all our experiences.

           

     I have thought about this exhibit all day as I traveled through London. I found myself admiring all the people I saw on the tube just because they were human and were unique and were occupying the same space with me. I remember very few people from this day in  specific terms. However, I remember very vividly the two people from the Seghal piece who were brave enough to just start talking to me about their lives. I consciously listened to them, and a piece of them is now with me forever. That, to me, is the impact of and the reflection of good art.