I’m in a crisis of self-doubt. After writing about Tate Modern’s ‘How to work better‘ poster yesterday, displayed in the staff entrance to the gallery, Fr Martin Boland wrote: “Are you sure it wasn’t a piece of verbal art?”
Have I been duped? Am I naive? I took this at face value, as a kindly encouragement to common courtesy, or as a not-too-subtle warning from management to put the customer first. Either way, I enjoyed its practical wisdom and aphoristic concision. But perhaps it is a piece of irony or satire? A work of art that seeks to deconstruct or simply mock the shallow, complacent yearnings of the self-help books I love so much? A source of mirth rather than enlightenment?
Help! I need someone from the staff at Tate Modern to post an answer in the comments below and put me out of my misery or condemn me to further introspection.
Bridges and Tangents 
Regardless of its romantic or practical connotations It is most definitely visual…….Surely if it was verbal art it would have to be spoken.
Thank you Simon x
p.s I am female, I cant muti task!
Even though I don’t work at the Tate Modern, I think these are not bad ideas to try and abide by, despite my somewhat tongue in cheek response to the earlier post. Whether or not it is a piece of verbal art, it certainly makes you think!
Hello Fr Stephen
I think stuff like this should mostly be given a wide berth! How much did they pay the management consultants to dream it up!? I’ve seem the inner workings of many a large and small organisation and most have a variation on this theme. Often it’s an extension of some type of ‘mission statement’ or a behavioural application of organisational ‘goals and values’. For many years I worked for a large UK company. Some of its rules, which it termed, ‘values,’ were, “leave it on the wave behind, ” “not on my watch,” ”customers pay wages,” a statement of the blindingly obvious (!) and, “go the extra mile,” which I was always wary of, given its origins in Roman oppression of the conquered! The key is for top management to really respect their staff and really act/walk the talk – apologies for another management nu-speak aphorism!- as if their staff are as important as customers, thus staff and customers are two elements of the equation of running a successful organisation. When I worked for that large UK company some wag invented a new management nu-speak aphorism, “ we don’t have a blame cultre here, but we’d like the names of the people we’re not blaming.” Finally, I always remember the efforts of the company to project a softer and friendlier image in that it installed signs at the entrances to all its locations and the head office, which were branded in the corporate colours. At the the top was written, ‘hello.’ However, at head office, the security receptionist sat direcetly in front of the sign such that she partially obscured the greeting so that it was reduced to the word, “hell.” A very apt description for the lived reality, to greet one’s arrival at HQ every morning! Anyway, this comment has probably got nothing to do with your original posts, and won’t help with your crisis of self-doubt, so just treat it as ‘performance art,’ very fitting for a Tate related topic.
Go placidly amidst the noise………………
Thanks Brian. I like the no-blame quote! Good to see you today.
Stephen
I think we can become a little over sensitive to some of the stimuli that bombards us, yet sometimes when we look, we notice what we are rejecting/questioning is almost identical to the tools we ourselves use.
I enjoyed the list of ten propositions offered to the staff at the Tate. I then considered the opposing force this piece of ‘verbal art’ is aligned to tackle.
Here are my humble thoughts:
HOW TO WORK BETTER
1. Do one thing at a time – Don’t get strung out on your own long production line.
2. Know the problem – We do not think it is advisable to wander around wondering why things are not working.
3. Learn to listen – If you do not know how to interpret what you hear, you will have all of us in the stew, very soon.
4. Learn to ask questions – This life enhancing art taught to each generation.
5. Distinguish sense from nonsense – This capacity is good for your health and general well being.
6. Accept change as inevitable – This is in line with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity OR Desiring sameness panders to a life of beguiling fantasy.
7. Admit mistakes – We either deny or acknowledge our errors, wrong doing, past sins etc. Nothing in between.
8. Say it simple – My editor always used to repeat this each day – KISS – Keep it simple stupid
9. Be calm – Better than the alternative
10. Smile – ‘Tis a truly contagious activity.
Warm regards,
Vic
Hi, Father Stephen,
I think Brian sums it up rather well. Most businesses are afloat with this type of management message, and in most cases they are ignored by the employees because they know that the management doesn’t practice what it preaches. However, it’s good to see that the staff at the Tate do seem to turn the words into actions!
For best advice on dealing with people see Matthew22:39. If we could all love our neighbour as ourselves, everywhere would be a joy to visit.
It’s really not (that) important, i think, whether it’s meant to be art or not (if meant to be art, is it good art?)
Whether you did or didn’t interpret it correctly, the point is, did God help you see any value in it? If so, then what does it matter (ultimately) what the intention behind it was?
Ed
I agree with you. Is it good art? On it’s face, I think not. But then, if a purpose of art is it’s interpretation, then if one sees good in it, then is it good? If you (through God) see or interpret something of value to you then that makes it “good.”
I just went to the tantalisingly ripe and evocative Gauguin exhibit and spent rather too long in there being both seduced and cautious. I was also cheekily inquisitive and managed to get a personal guided tour to your staff entrance to see the Fischi Weiss! Set of rules what a discovery, how blessed you are and how it blessed me. Not many have that privilege. Well spotted. And the most unexpected sensual pleasure Rodin kissed me.WOW
Ps. t’was not a poster I saw, t’was painted directly on to the wall. Did you see the staggering crop of porcelain hand painted sunflower seeds. I just wanted to lay down in them and make sunflower angels and let the grain trickle through my fingers and accidentally slip just one teeny tiny one in my pocket. Good job we were allowed nowhere close, one missing from 10 million would surely be noticed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rytc/387947202/
Hi Fr Stephen if you copy and paste this to google you will find the answer to your question.
I think wise by wisdom but naive by nature is a lovely quality and a blessing.