Tino Sehgal at the Tate Modern

When you walk down the slope towards the entrance to Tate Modern, wondering what the latest artist to be given this vast space to play with has done, there is no clue from outside – the glass entrance and doors have been blacked out this time. In that spirit of discretion, it would be a terrible spoiler to reveal what actually happens inside, only to say that it is an experience, and that it is beautiful.

People are the subjects, the objects and the medium of Tino Sehgal’s work. All we can say is, you can watch from the side, and that’s alright. But we urge you to stand in the middle and hold your nerve. It is a little intimidating, but gently so, and they won’t actually knock you over.

It’s interesting timing to have this piece in London during Olympics fever, where so much depends upon crowd behaviour and joining in. It’s easier to get in step with the general flow, rather than remain a little pocket of annoyance or resistance, and yet not all of us are comfortable amidst group behaviour and crowd mentality. At their best, groups of people have a synchronicity and a geniality, and are collectives of individuals, each with extraordinary secrets and intimacies. If you feel jaded about the multitudes thronging about the city, come and experience a different shared experience.

The Turbine Hall at Tate is such an interesting place, where artists can rarely rehearse whether their “big idea” will actually work there – sometimes it does, sometimes it falls short. Some artists fill the space with their ego, while others have resonated with a small and pure idea, perfectly executed. Tino Sehgal has filled it with human interaction at varying levels as both participant and observer at once. An uplifting experience.

Eleanor MacFarlane

Tino Sehgal runs until 28th October 2012 at the Turbine Hall in the Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Admission is free. For further information visit the galllery’s website here.