He began his career as an exhibition organizer for the Arts Council and, at 24, was elected chairman of the Young Friends of the [Tate Millbank]. He resigned the latter post, however, after Tate trustees banned a new contemporary art gallery that he and the Friends had set up for cutting-edge art near Waterloo Station. The young Turks accused the board of being out of touch with new artists--something Serota means never to be.

Tate Modern's arrangement of its permanent collection according to broad themes--nude, still-life, landscape and history--also has been controversial. While some say the displays smartly mask significant holes in the Tate's modern art collection, others have dismissed the selection and presentation of art as doctrinaire and disappointing. There also is much debate as to whether it really is the work of Tate Modern director Lars Nittve, as Tate officials say, or whether, as John McEwen of the Sunday Telegraph newspaper insisted, "the show bears the undisguised stamp" of Serota.

Serota concedes that Tate Modern is a work in progress along with Tate Millbank, which has been bleeding visitors to its new sister museum. He says both institutions will thrive on exciting exhibitions, innovative installations of their permanent collections and, hopefully, new acquisitions.