London’s Tate Modern is to host its first performance art show – an interactive artwork that will shroud part of the museum in an artificial fog.

Created by Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya, the terrace to the gallery’s newly-opened Switch House will have a sculpture installed to create the fog using water vapour. Nakaya has created previous fog installations dating back to 1970, last year covering a Bristol bridge in fog for nine days as part of an arts festival.

"Walking inside fog, people are suddenly confronted with white darkness, but soon they find themselves trying to use all the senses other than the visual to orient themselves,” said Nakaya.

"People love the feel of fog on their skin, immersed, wet and cold, but gentle and soothing. It's a primary experience."

The installation is part of BMW Tate Live, an annual event opening on 24 March and running until 2 April.

As part of the exhibition, Tanks – a number of giant concrete containers originally created to store fuel – will become a series of installations using film, music, and dance for the 10-day event.

According to the gallery, the Tanks space will "provide visitors with a distinctive location in which to engage with new art in a new way". Also being created is a plant-filled room by Isabel Lewis, which combines food, drink and scent to “create an alternative environment for dance, discussions and invited musicians".