iTate ModernBankside
Ana Mendieta
Newly remastered films, early paintings and late sculptures by the Cuban-American artist, including her Silueta series, many never seen in the UK.
More in London
Mendieta drew human figures in gunpowder on the ground or on tree trunks and set them alight. What's left is "a scorched shadow of a person", in the Guardian's words, and here a row of them rises out of real tree trunks.
This is the first in-depth UK show of the Cuban-American artist in over ten years, on Level 2 of the Blavatnik Building, with newly remastered films, photographs of the Silueta series (her body's outline pressed into mud, sand, grass and flowers), early paintings, sketches on leaves, and photographs of the goddess figures she carved into Cuban limestone in 1981. Her death in 1985 is left out of it.
The Guardian, Independent and Standard all gave it five stars, and Jonathan Jones called her "irresistible". The dissent comes from theartsdesk, whose critic said the late woman-as-earth work made her "queasy". Blood is a material throughout, so know that going in. Open until 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Editor's pick
Silueta photographs, gunpowder figures burned onto tree trunks and remastered films, with blood used throughout. The Guardian, the Independent and the Standard all gave it five stars.
Look for
Sweating Blood (1973)
A video close on her face as drops of blood gather on her forehead and run towards her closed eyes.
Body Tracks (1974)
She slides down a white wall with her arms pressed to it, leaving two blood-red streaks.
The fake crime scene
She poured animal blood on a pavement and secretly photographed passers-by trying to work out what had happened.
The beard
An early photo series where she glues clippings from a friend's beard to her chin and lip and passes as a man.
The feathers film
She pours a pail of cow's blood over herself, lies down in white chicken feathers and stands up "part-human, part-bird", as the Independent put it.
Good for
- Evening Visits
- Going Solo
- Out-Of-Town Guests
Skip if
You'd rather avoid blood: it recurs throughout, including films of the artist bleeding.
Free in the same building
- The Collection: Modern and Contemporary ArtFree permanent displays spanning Picasso, Dalí, Rothko and Warhol to the latest contemporary work across two interconnected buildings.
- The TanksThe world's first permanent museum galleries for live art, performance, installation, and film, housed in vast industrial oil tanks.
Also at Tate Modern
On now nearby
Nearby
Image credits
8
- Ana Mendieta©The Estate of Ana Mendieta Collection, LLC. Licensed by Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, 2026 / Courtesy Marian Goodman Gallery and Alison Jacques, London.
- By Appointment Only: Romani Art, Culture & Heritage© London Museum
- Salman Toor: Someone Like You© Salman Toor; Courtesy of the artist, Luhring Augustine, New York, and Thomas Dane Gallery. Photo: Genevieve Hanson
- Tate ModernAcabashi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hayward GalleryMykReeve / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- London MuseumMatt Brown / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Courtauld GalleryAnthony O'Neil / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Barbican CentreJulian Herzog / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0