Miroslaw Balka (Unilever Series) Helen Sainsbury
Born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1958, Miroslaw Balka is the tenth artist to be invited to transform the dramatic space of the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern. An artist who has achieved critical acclaim internationally for his works that comprise installation, sculpture and film, this will be Balka's first public commission in the United Kingdom. Balka's work explores themes of history and common experience, drawing on his Catholic upbringing and the fractured history of Poland. In recent years, he has focused on the Holocaust, which for Balka is a permanent scar on the collective memory. The dramatic installation 190 x 90 x 4973 (2008) created a claustrophobic tunnel out of plywood with no visible destination, typifying Balka's ability to create subtle and intensely serious pieces. This book, with dramatic installation photography and accessible text, will map out the project from start to completion.