by Sara Heywood, Jane Watt & David Chau

Recording the virtual walk with Peter Coles and Jaime Rory Lucy under the old black mulberry in Victoria Park 
(Photo (c) David Chau)

Last Saturday (17th October) was the first public-facing event for the project Mulberry – Tree of Plenty. The project is an art-science collaboration between artists Sara Heywood & Jane Watt, and UCL biomaterials researcher Dr David Chau commissioned as part of Trellis: a UCL Culture and UCL East programme. The project explores how the iconic mulberry tree (Morus nigra and Morus alba) can be used as a vehicle to stimulate discussion, debate and engagement in cutting-edge research and applications in biotechnology, heritage, and contemporary engaged art practice.

Screeing the virtual mulberry walk  (Photo (c) Ollie Harrop)

The event took place at St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green, who have their very own majestic black mulberry tree in their café garden. Local participants were treated to a film screening of A Walk in Bethnal Green, presented by Morus Londinium’s Peter Coles and local mulberry campaigner Jaime Rory Lucy.  The walk focuses on the fascinating heritage of several mulberry trees in the Bethnal Green area. 

One of the delicious home-made mulberry treats at the screening  (Photo (c) Ollie Harrop)

And as an added bonus, following a conversation between Jamie and a local resident who came to the event, we were invited to discover another Morus nigra in the private garden of Netteswell House, just across the road from St Margaret’s House!

Discovering a new black mulberry for the Morus Londinium map in the garden of Netteswell House on
Old Ford Road (photo (c) Sara Heywood)

Mulberry - Tree of Plenty will be delivering in-person and online events over the next few months as part of a knowledge exchange programme, including botanical ink drawing from the berries and leaves, a science exploration of the various material properties of the tree and a session on how to grow and tend to your own mulberry tree. 

To find out more about this project or to book a session visit the website: www.mulberrytreeofplenty.org where you can also view the virtual walk video.