Poetry, wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is the best words in the best order. The new poster campaign for Tate Britain doesn’t employ a single picture or piece of art – it communicates purely through the power of words alone. It's very fresh and very original – the posters imagine brand new collections based on selected (and otherwise unrelated) pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. For example, one is titled “The I HAVE A BIG MEETING Collection” and reads like a self-help guide for business meetings. It says: 

‘Meetings, meetings, meetings… all of them important, all of them crucial. How crazy is today’s world? Anyway, if you need a hand with a meeting, this Tate Britain Collection is designed to help you look good and ooze confidence. Lesson one: Important matters should be treated as small matters. In Room 6, Harvest Home by John Linnell should help you achieve this state of mind. You can almost breathe the fresh air from a stunning golden afternoon. Fill your lungs with its greatness, and always remember to make yourself bigger before entering a room. Now it’s time to take a look at a champion. Teucer by Sir Hamo Thornycroft, near the Millbank entrance, portrays one of the heroes of Homer’s Trojan War. This monumental bronze archer teaches us to never lose focus on what we’re aiming for. Now we need to work on your look. Eyes are the most powerful weapons in meetings. Stare at the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I in Room 2. Study her eyes and her pose because she’s the model to follow. Don’t even dare to leave the room until you’ve nailed that look. Finally spend some time in front of The Battle of Camperdown by Philip De Loutherbourg. This breathtaking sea battle dominates Room 9 completely. Meetings are often a lot like this, but take heart from the fact that this painting still depicts the precise moment of victory. So off you pop bravery’s the name of the game, and remember, for maximum effect, we suggest you experience this Collection twenty-four hours prior to your meeting.’

Other posters in the campaign include: “The I HAVE A HANGOVER Collection”, “The I’VE JUST SPLIT UP Collection”, “The IHAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR AGES  Collection”. Each poster takes us on a themed journey describing the artworks in a very new and engaging way. They capture the imagination of those that read them - even those that might not usually consider themselves museum go-ers... and that's no mean feat.

Read and re-read by Justin Morgan