Slides in the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London, 2007 2007

Editor: So, this is Matthew Pillsbury's "Slides in the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London, 2007." It's a diptych, two images side-by-side, in black and white, of these massive slides. It feels so still and deserted. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's like a memory, isn't it? The Turbine Hall is usually a hive of activity, but Pillsbury captures it as a ghost of itself. I see the tension between the playful installation and the somber, almost clinical, architectural space. It’s as if childhood joy is held captive by adult constraint. What do you make of the composition? Editor: I get that. The contrast really hits home. The slides should be full of motion, but the long exposure makes them look so still. I see the shadows almost as a representation of suppressed fun. Thank you! Curator: Exactly! The blur and the starkness create that feeling of a memory fading or a dream slipping away. I enjoyed exploring that with you.