Light Vessel Automatic

Tate Britain is a richly adorned vessel of knowledge, literally scarred and marked by its own history. From its geological birth as an Eyot at the fork of the river Tyburn, to locus of panoptic surveillance systems of the Millbank Penitentiary, to National Gallery of Art, it continues to undergo further phases of transformation.

In Light Vessel Automatic, we conduct a guided tour en-promenade through the Tate, moving between specific details of the building’s fabric to wider historical, political, philosophical and aesthetic concerns. Through spoken word, moving image, word & image, and architectural elements we explore the site as a fulcrum for a number of inter-related systems. These systems reveal a series of interlocking narrative threads that coalesce around the site, entangling its history and forming a foundational mesh for its future potential.

This project was curated by Marianne Mulvey as part of the 'Performing Architecture' event at Tate Britain. Artists involved include Kreider + O'Leary - Alex Sweder - Lamis Bayer - Emptyset - Film Programme by the Architecture Foundation. Marianne's blog on the curation of the event is here. Thanks to Caruso St John Architects for guiding us around the Tate under construction. An on-line version of the guided tour is documented on: http://www.kreider-oleary.net/works/#/light-vessel-automatic/