As a big fan of modern art and someone who is training for the NY Marathon, I was interested to learn of Work No. 850 by Martin Creed.



The piece is a sort of participatory performance art - runners sign up to run as fast as they can through the Tate for 30 seconds.  Then pause for 30 seconds before repeating. The whole thing is inspired in part by Creed’s experience of running through the catacombs of the Capuchin monks in Palermo to see everything before closing time.

I’ve always like going to museums (especially modern ones) because you can spend as little or as much time as you want on a particular piece (unless you do the lame audio tour).  Some work takes only a split second to register and enjoy while others can be absorbed for hours. The same gallery can be a great experience in both fast forward and slow motion - it’s up to the viewer.  

Creed has found an interesting way to riff on this fact.