Nathan Coley, We Must Cultivate Our Garden 2006. Tate. © Studio Nathan Coley Photo: Thierry Bal.
What actions can we take to nurture ourselves, our communities, and our planet?
The electric lightbulbs of this sculpture spell out a phrase that is both a spectacle and a public statement. Standing in the landscape outside Tate Modern opposite the high-rise buildings in the City of London, the words seem to be urging us to act.
Nathan Coley takes his words from the satirical novella Candide (1759) by the French writer and philosopher Voltaire (1694–1778). Voltaire’s story of a young man who travels the world in search of happiness concludes with this ambiguous sentence. Coley has commented: ‘I think my work has a sense of politics and a sense of the world and also a kind of sense of humour.’
This display is supported by Dasha and William Shenkman in memory of their mother Belle Shenkman (1928 –1995) a passionate patron, and promoter of the arts, and by Tate Enterprises.