ART CITIES: London-Monster Chetwynd
Monster Chetwynd (formerly known as Marvin Gaye Chetwynd) is a British artist celebrated for her exuberant and anarchic performances. With a background in painting, her multidisciplinary work spans theatre, sculpture, film, and installation. Chetwynd often uses everyday materials, DIY costumes, and recycled objects to build fantastical worlds that draw from mythology, popular culture, folk tales, and surreal humour. Her work is intentionally inclusive and collaborative, placing performance at the heart of audience engagement.
By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Tate Archive
This summer, the Turbine Hall is transformed into a spectacular, theatrical playground with Monster Chetwynd’s latest immersive installation, “Thunder, Crackle and Magic” — part of the UNIQLO Tate Play programme. Chetwynd draws inspiration from Ingmar Bergman’s 1975 film The Magic Flute, a visually rich and imaginative adaptation of Mozart’s famous opera. The original tale follows a group of characters navigating magical worlds, facing monsters, overcoming trials, and discovering truth through music and courage. In Chetwynd’s reinterpretation, visitors are no longer passive observers — they become part of the story. Children and adults alike are invited to join in the action, acting out key scenes, animating puppets, and dressing up in character to co-create a live and ever-changing performance. “Thunder, Crackle and Magic” unfolds across three immersive ‘sets’, each a vivid world filled with handmade props, costumes, and creatures — all designed in Chetwynd’s signature DIY aesthetic. “Dragon Island”: Start your journey by encountering a sleeping dragon. Use movement, sound, and gestures to charm it awake and discover what lies beyond. “Wild Animal Forest”: Enter a lush forest teeming with mysterious animal puppets. Here, visitors are invited to bring these creatures to life, using their bodies and voices to fill the space with sound and movement. “Tested by the Elements”: Face the raw power of nature in this dramatic final set. Journey through trials of fire and water, working together to overcome elemental challenges. Throughout the Turbine Hall, costumed performers help bring each scene to life, guiding visitors while leaving space for improvisation, play, and spontaneous storytelling. To pause and reflect, visitors can rest in cozy wicker dens filled with cushions, where they can watch clips from Bergman’s The Magic Flute and draw connections between the opera’s themes and their own performances. Through “Thunder, Crackle and Magic”, Chetwynd continues her mission to create spaces that break down traditional hierarchies in the art world — inviting everyone, especially children, to step into the spotlight.
“UNIQLO Tate Play” is Tate Modern’s free, year-round programme designed to inspire creativity, imagination, and playful learning for families and visitors of all ages. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a regular museum-goer, UNIQLO Tate Play invites you to experience contemporary art through making, performing, storytelling, and hands-on exploration. Launched in 2021, the programme reflects Tate’s core belief that art and play are for everyone. By creating welcoming and inclusive environments for children and adults to enjoy together, it turns the gallery into a space of collective creativity — one where participation is encouraged, curiosity is celebrated, and no prior knowledge of art is needed. Since its inception, UNIQLO Tate Play has engaged over 652,000 participants in free, in-gallery activities and events. It has also featured large-scale artist commissions from major international names including: Yayoi Kusama, whose iconic polka dots lit up the Turbine Hall in a joyful installation; Oscar Murillo, who invited young people into a dynamic space of collaboration and exchange ;Rasheed Araeen, whose interactive sculptures encouraged families to build, balance, and explore; Ei Arakawa, who transformed art-making into a live, participatory performance In recognition of the programme’s remarkable reach and impact, UNIQLO has extended its support through to 2029, enabling Tate to continue creating vibrant, free experiences that connect people through art.
Photo: Monster Chetwynd, Thunder, Crackle and Magic, 2025. © Monster Chetwynd. Courtesy the Artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London
Info: Modern, Turbine Hall, Bankside, London, United Kingdom, Duration: 19/7-25/8/2025, Days & Hours: Daily 10:30–18:00, www.tate.org.uk/
