The capital's largest gallery of contemporary art recently decamped to the grand three-story surrounds of the Duke of York's HQ building, a former military school. The man behind it, British mega-collector Charles Saatchi, is known for upsetting mainstream opinion with his willfully avant-garde exhibitions. His supporters see him as a visionary, boldly redefining the artistic outer limits; his detractors see a naked emperor surrounded by a lot of hot air. Saatchi himself claims that he is just trying to bring contemporary art to the widest possible audience, and his recent decision to make the gallery free to all would seem to back him up. He certainly can't be accused of playing it safe, often presenting works by unseen young artists from around the world, not just "Brit Art" favorites. The final judgment, of course, rests with you. However, do note that the constantly changing displays are often of the "challenging" variety. If you're going to be offended by a Madonna with elephant dung or one of Damien Hirst's pickled sharks, it's probably best to go look at a Rembrandt in the National instead.
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