An Evening With Tate Modern

Sometimes it's beneficial to go to things alone.

No distractions - just you and your own little world.

A chance to tap into your inner self, and refresh, explore, or challenge.

I love experiencing things that excite me creatively, and I always feel this way when I go to Art galleries. Normally, I go with people, but yesterday I decided to go the Tate Modern alone. I needed to be inspired by and connect with the Art world, a place that I love and want to go into. So going by myself was a necessity.

I can't begin to put into words how inspired I felt whilst I was there, and how empowered and almost euphoric I felt when I left. Some of the art work I came across, some of the quotes that I read – the type of pieces that were created to stir up emotion. And stir up emotion they did.

They made you think about things on a bigger scale. 

They made you challenge yourself, 

And in many ways break free from boundaries, restrictions, and stereotypes that you yourself have set or that society has placed on you..

Any place that makes you feel like a different person – a better person – when you leave, is a good place. 

I left feeling empowered as being BLACK, a WOMAN, and an ARTIST.

Let me explain: there were many pieces there painted by WOMEN of COLOUR ( a minority in the art world), there were many pieces there that touched on WOMEN as powerful beings, and many pieces there that touched on how WOMEN had made such a huge political impact – there was a series on women ( mostly black) who had protested against the corrupt political system in apartheid-era South Africa. They suffered atrocious sentences and/or target attacks in repercussion for their actions, but they were never fearful and continued their mission of trying to make the world a better place. *

*I apologise that I don't have many pictures. I was so absorbed in the atmosphere that I forgot and only took pictures of some of the art.

There were pieces that exposed the sexism that underpins the 'professional' art world and the world as a whole. The struggles that female artists go through compared to male artists – not one single art work created by a feminine artist was showcased at the 1989 Andy Warhol and Tremain auction at Sotheby's and not a lot has changed since. It makes you wonder why – did they/ do they feel like the male artist's work will be lessened if put next to a female artist? Do they feel like the female artist work is of less calibre? Why? Because she's a woman? Are you REALLY that threatened, indifferent and imbecilic?

There were pieces that allowed me as an artist to break free from the barriers I had put on myself – You'll never be as good a painter as she is and/or you'll never be able to make people think with your art. 

Everybody starts from scratch, and everybody interprets, experiences, and sees art differently. That's what makes art, art – that's what makes it so beautiful. 

It's never the same experience for any individual. 

I can guarantee you I wouldn't have had such an uplifting experience had I not gone alone.

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