I knew I had to go and see the Stirling Exhibition at Tate Britain - after all I had been helping Alan Berman with his Stirling book projects. However on my way through the Duveen galleries, I side-stepped into The Coral Reef by Mike Nelson.I thought I had gone into the service corridor by mistake and turned back - but the guard on the door said 'yes - go in - it's like a maze inside'. I pushed open the door past an old red vinyl settee into what looked like an abandoned minicab office waiting room and then on into a series of dim, oddly empty, formerly inhabited but dishevelled rooms. It was strangely enthralling, almost frightening and the experience haunted me while I was looking at the Stirling drawings and I had to go back.
This time, I went round and round through all the doors and back again. I keep thinking about it. Can't quite work out why it is so powerful - but wish I could go to the Biennale to see the installation there.
