THE DARK MONARCH
TATE: exhibition, publication

For the exhibition The Dark Monarch at Tate St Ives, UK, SecMoCo were approached by Martin Clark, Artistic Director, to design the identity and external gallery signage, as well as the poster, preview card, print and digital advertising, and accompanying publication. The exhibition brought together over 160 works, as well as books, manuscripts and other ephemera, and the publication reflected this in its diverse range of material.

Publication: first edition published by Tate, UK, 2009; edited by Michael Bracewell, Martin Clark, and Alun Rowlands; additional texts: various; 230 x 172 mm; 216 pp; 74pp colour plate section (170gsm Maine Gloss), 50 b&w images in uncoated section (115gsm Think White) ; paperback 1-colour cover (Colourplan Vellum White 350gsm, wire embossed in the paper grain and spine orientation) with 8-page 2-colour dust jacket (China White 135gsm); section sewn. Printed by Calverts, London, UK.

From the press release: ‘Taking its title from the controversial 1962 novel based in St Ives by Sven Berlin, The Dark Monarch explores the influence of folklore, mysticism, mythology and the occult on the development of modernism and surrealism in Britain and features the works of both historic and contemporary artists. The book considers the renewed influence of neo-romantic and arcane themes on a significant strand of current British art practice’.