Sunflower Seeds

And FINALLY before getting a spot of lunch and catching my train back to the coast my final stop at the Tate Modern was not to disappoint...

100 million porcelain sunflower seeds were made and hand painted in the Chinese City of Jingdezhen to lie on the Turbine Hall floor. Outstanding.

Made in China's commentry is wide reaching and powerfully stated.

The video story of the piece is beautifully put together and describes the huge undertaking of making so many seeds in porcelain as well as the impact on those employed to do so. Ai Weiwei, the artist and narrator, explains that so many people in the area are working in the factory that "almost everyone knows someone who is making sunflower seeds". He suggests the sunflower seeds will be remembered like a mythical event in that region.

Many people I know were disappointed on visiting as you can no longer walk on the seeds, and who would not want to touch them. Even so the exhibition is on until May, visit if you can.