‘Mulberry Tree Press’

7^th May – 11^th July

The exhibition ‘Mulberry Tree Press’ reflects on the relationship between space, object and text, how they exist one in the other, side-by-side, and separate. It is possible to characterise today’s art as being largely driven by these notions. The focus on liminality, the boundary or threshold between different locations and states of production lie at the heart of the exhibition. In particular, it is concerned with the translation or transcription that takes place in order to facilitate this passage from one place to another, from the studio and the gallery to the printed page.

For the duration of the exhibition SE8 will work under the fictitious name ‘Mulberry Tree Press’ , as a form of temporary publishing house. With this in mind, the gallery will be turned into a production office, a machine that generates and disseminates content.

Over a period of nine weeks, the exhibition attempts a transformation, turning spatial artworks situated in the gallery into a form that might function as a publication; it is not intended that this take the shape of a standard catalogue, in which, appearance, structure and content are largely known from the outset - instead, the publication will bring together artworks, events and texts generated by the project’s process of research, dialogue and display: from one physical state to another, from space, action and thing to object.

The space is divided into a number of different zones, each typified by simple display devices: a table, a set of shelves, three pinboards, a plinth, three cabinets and a monitor. Each of these marks out a territory, a way of showing, indeed, an idea of specific presentation. The table is a place for writing, reading and the centrepiece of a discussion-series with curators, writers and artists. Shelves provide browsing material in the shape of artists’ books and ‘zines from across the world. Two large opposing pinboards are given over to different artists during the project with a third acting as a palimpsest gathering and editing information as the show develops. Adjacent glass cabinets are organised by a number of curators, a monitor shows a programme of artists’ films while SE8’s outside area is dedicated to a substantial plinth. There will also be weekly events or performances in the space which will be recorded, documented then exhibited. Other content will also be generated through contributions from invited guest writers, academics and artists but we also welcome for consideration content from outside parties.

In this way, the project generates ongoing research and outcomes to be viewed as it evolves on a daily basis. Additionally, the material gathered is finally edited together as a printed publication whose format and content is generated through the project.

Please return to this page soon to find out the dates of all the events.