‘I go to bed thinking about it’: why Tate Modern director Frances Morris returns to her childhood home for therapy, comfort and communions with late family
Where does our spirit go when we die? Frances Morris has this question figured out: she will return to the home in which she was born, a Georgian house abreast the Meridian Line in Greenwich. Listen to this deeply personal conversation on our podcast, Homing In, on which Frances explains why her childhood home has such an emotional hold over her – and here our host, Matt Gibberd, explains why their conversation has a hold over him.
“South-east London has been the backdrop to Frances’ whole life, so it’s fitting that she has worked at the forefront of its most important cultural institution: Tate Modern. Not only was she the gallery’s first female director, but Frances has also redefined the perception of female artists, spearheading retrospectives of Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin and others. She has also pioneered a new type of curation, which involves hanging works by theme rather than chronology.
“Frances joined Tate in 1987 and has devoted almost her entire career to it, having been appointed director of Tate Modern in 2016. Shortly before we recorded this podcast, it was announced that she will be leaving for pastures new. I met her in her office within the bowels of the gallery and, understandably, she is in a reflective mood.
“She told me about the painting that first inspired her fascination with art, which she would go and visit as a child if she was feeling sad. She offered advice on collecting art and how to hang it in a domestic space. We talked about her current home, where she’s created a modern office space that’s hung with a single drawing by Louise Bourgeois. We finished with a discussion about her aspirations for later life, including a dream to sail around the English coastline in a boat she inherited from her late father.
“This is one of the most memorable conversations I’ve ever had. Frances feels like someone I’ve known forever, and her background and story have significant parallels with my own. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.”
Happy listening and, if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss a new episode.
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