They call this style of architecture ‘brutalist’ which is about as perfect a description as you can possibly get. It’s just a stack of angled concrete – the same stuff they make those thundering ring roads out of.
The gallery doesn’t have a permanent collection so whatever I describe to you now will be long gone by the time you arrive. It’s all temporary exhibitions and retrospective art shows, but it’s always modern stuff, contemporary stuff – the sort of art they show at sixth-form parent evenings (the sort of art that mums and dads pretend to like, whilst secretly hoping that their kids will knuckle down and concentrate on maths instead). Let me give you a few examples…
Contemporary art exhibitions
I’m looking at a piece about border security and surveillance called Harry II which describes itself as a “contemporary manifestation of ancient myths and modern sphinxes”. But here’s what it actually is: six pink mattresses and three plastic bird heads on a pole. The next piece consists of a few funfair mirrors and a cartoon fox reciting lines from HG Wells’ The Time Machine.
In the past I’ve seen a pile of plastic pills and a revolving washing line with red and white toadstools on top. If this is art, then my guidebook is literature.
If you enjoy this then try Saatchi Gallery (take a tube journey from Waterloo to Sloane Square); Serpentine South Gallery (take a tube journey from Waterloo to South Kensington) and Tate Modern (walk it in 14 mins or travel from Waterloo to Southwark via tube)
The author Craig Cross owns city-guide.london and has spent the last decade reviewing the capital’s landmarks, attractions and hotels. His guidebook London Squire is available from Amazon
Your comments and questions
Tom I agree the exhibitions can be a bit patchy but I've seen some fantastic works of art here so it depends what you see. The Bridget Riley exhibition was superb, and Among The Trees was beautiful and thought provoking and well worth seeing
Rob The Hayward makes a nice change from visiting all the crowded galleries like the National Gallery - a great gallery for sure, but I don't want to compete to find some floor space when I'm looking at a great work of art. The Hayward gives you to time to contemplate what you're looking at
SimonD Good gift shop
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