Migrations

The latest exhibition at Tate Britain opened today: Migrations (title link). This explores how British art was shaped by waves of immigration from 1500 to the present day, beginning with 16th and 17th century Flemish and Dutch landscape and still-life painters who came to Britain in search of new patrons. James Tissot's Portsmouth Dockyard (c.1877) is a beautiful example of this theme. However the choice of poster to promote the show is inappropriate. What has Keith Piper's Go West Young Man (1987) have to do with migration to Britain? The famous quotation is American and the historic diagram of slaves on a slave ship depicts how they were transported from Africa to America and the West Indies, not to Britain. Its use suggests the show is more about propaganda than a serious attempt to survey foreign art talent in Britain. Migrations runs until 12 August, admission £6 for adults, £5 for silver surfers.
A BBC London video shows modern rubbish (CLICK).