China Power Station - Part 1

By Hazel Last edited 209 months ago
China Power Station - Part 1
ChinaPowerStation.JPG

So Tate Modern gets turned into a minimalist, brushed steel, grown-ups adventure playground and meanwhile, in Battersea, another London power station has a makeover...

Like the bottle of olive oil in an Italy-shaped novelty glass bottle that has been in the kitchen cupboard since that trip to Florence in 2004, London has always been meaning to do something with Battersea Power Station. It just sits there. It shouldn't be wasted. It's still useful. C'mon, think... it's been there for ages. Let's do something with it. Let's... put some art in there. Modern stuff. From China. In collaboration with Norway. And... and... and get some hot young architects to join in too. It'll be special. It'll be good.

From this week until 5 November, the Serpentine Gallery in collaboration with Oslo's Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art has compiled a very special exhibition featuring the work of a specially selected group of contemporary Chinese artists and architects for China Power Station - Part 1. This exhibition sees good old Battersea Power Station that has stood empty, still and silent for so long filled with sound and moving image, the apparent medium of choice for the new generation of China's artists. Three floors inside the power station will host the exhibition - and the view from the third floor is worth the price of admission alone.

It's a unique chance to see inside Battersea Power Station before it undergoes regeneration, and to see it with contrasting and complementing artworks that bring the effect of the powerful and iconic space into sharper light than simply opening it to the public as it is. Tickets are £5.00 and must be booked in advance - visitors must sign up for timed tours on arrival. Waterproof clothing is recommended; not sure why but we can't wait to find out.

Oh, and Michelin-starred chef Alan Yau of Yauatcha fame will be running the exhibition teashop next to the obligatory exhibition souvenir shop. Bloody hell. We told you it was going to be special.

China Power Station - Part 1 at Battersea Power Station until 5 November. Tickets £5.00, to be bought in timed slots. For more information and to book, go to the Time Out site here.

Image courtesy of Somnolence via the Londonist Flickr group.

Last Updated 10 October 2006