‘The Depart-Ment of In-Between Affairs’ by Siyanda Marrengane

‘The Depart-Ment of In-Between Affairs: Liminality as a Space for Negotiation, Story-telling and Re-making of Identities” is an exploration of ideas around personal and collective experiences of forced, or voluntary ‘in-betweenness’by artist Siyanda Marrengane. Marrengane is an artist based in Johannesburg, but born in Eswatini. She is familiar with the administrative hurdles and physical lengths that come with having to continuously cross borders. This publication, made in fulfilment of her MA Fine Arts, draws on her experiences in unpacking notions of transience and liminality.

“First using ‘im/migration’ as a starting point, and placing it in the context of South Africa and Eswatini. The research looks at how the body is an important site of where all these issues associated with moving in between spaces come to-g(a)ther. As well as the body being a vessel, or carrier of all these ideas, crossing borders, towns and cities …” (Siyanda Marrengane)

The book is a drop-back kettle stitch, printed on 100gsm Stephen innocent white.  The book is sized to B5, and bound in to it is an A5 booklet as well as an A2 fold-out poster. The cover has been stamped with a triple deboss, with a single ‘in-between’ having been gifted a gloss pink foil.