The Tate galleries are now open to the public.
Paint-by-numbers is about the closest we’ve come to fine art during the lockdown, so we’ve been champing at the bit to get back to London’s mesmerising art galleries. Handily, two of the best, Tate Modern and Tate Britain are now back in our lives—over four months after the pair, along with Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives, closed on March 17.
Tate Director Maria Balshaw, while speaking to The Art Newspaper, originally said that the gallery group had planned their reopening for “early August”, but that was fortunately brought forward.
Entry remains free, but visitors, including Tate Members, must book a timed slot in advance. Many other social distancing and safety measures are of course in place, such as one-way routes around the gallery. Masks or face coverings are recommended but not required.
Many exhibitions have been extended or postponed as a result of the galleries’ closure. The epic Andy Warhol exhibition will remain in place until November 15, while Kara Walker’s Hyundai Commission has been extended and will remain in place until November 8. There is no news just yet on when we can expect the arrival of Yayoi Kusama’s infinity rooms, but new dates will be announced soon.
At Tate Britain, Steve McQueen’s ‘Year 3’ project has been extended and will remain open until January 31, 2021, and ‘Aubrey Beardsley’ has been extended and will remain open until September 20.