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Anna Dumitriu’s new solo Exhibition “The Romantic Disease: an Artistic Investigation of Tuberculosis”
Opening reception of “The Romantic Disease: An Artistic Investigation of Tuberculosis” – a brand new solo exhibition by Anna Dumitriu showing installations and sculptures made with strains of mycobacteria, transformed historical artefacts, and textiles that our reveal the complexities of Tuberculosis (TB) and our responses to the disease. The show explores the strange history of TB from artistic, social and scientific perspectives and covers subjects such as superstitions about the disease, its literary and romantic associations, the development of antibiotics and the latest research into whole genome sequencing of bacteria.
Artworks in The Romantic Disease” are made with a combination of textile art and biological matter including strains of Mycobacterium vaccae, M. bovis and M. tuberculosis that have been sterilized prior to exhibition. Re-crafted historical artefacts and objects are added to the mix. For example, Dumitriu has developed a series of textile installations stained with bacteria dyes patterned using antibiotic ‘resists’, which focus on how early ‘antibiotics’, such as Prontosil, were derived from chemical dyes. For ”Where there’s dust there’s danger” she has created a series of tiny felt lungs from wool and dust into which she has incorporated the DNA of killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis produced in a Containment Level 3 Laboratory (the highest level for handling bacteria). Around a century ago dust was incorrectly thought to be one of the primary causes of the disease. Amongst the altered historical artefacts an intricately carved and engraved Pneumothorax Machine can be found, previously used to collapse lungs of unfortunate patients ‘to give them a rest’.
The exhibition has been developed through Anna Dumitriu’s ongoing artist’s residency at The University of Oxford with the UK CRC Modernising Medical Microbiology Project, and is funded by The Wellcome Trust.
The show is also open 16th January 2014 – 24th March 2014, daily 12pm (noon) – 9pm
There will also be a major one day symposium on World Tuberculosis Day on 24th March 2014. with key speakers in the field of TB and press conference will be held at Waterman’s for World Tuberculosis Day on 24th March. The latest research into this disease, which currently affects one third of the World’s population, will be discussed in a highly accessible way.
www.romanticdisease.eventb
As well as the exhibition and symposium, The Romantic Disease has an ‘open lab’ workshop with Anna Dumitriu, Dr Simon Park, Dr Melissa Grant and special guests. This will run on five Saturdays, 11am – 5pm, on 15th and 22nd February, 1st, 15th and 22nd March 2014 and visitors on those days will see the group at work in the gallery.
To attend the open lab see www.openlabworkshop.eventb
Watermans, 40 High Street, Brentford, West London, UK, TW8 0DS
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A website about Andreas Vesalius: the great Artist and Anatomist
The anatomist and physician Andreas Vesalius rebelled against the medical establishment to set groundbreaking new standards for modern anatomy.
you want to learn more about how Vesalius’ dedication to scientific inquiry, his passion, and his perfectionism made his work unforgettable?
Visit the website created by KARGER, Medical and Scientific Publishers, about Andreas Vesalius, here: Andeas Vesalius
“Brainswarm”: Biomusic from the Greek composer Leontios Hadjileontiadis
Biomusic Concert in Greece.
“Brainswarm” of Professor Leontios Hadjileontiadis was presented for the first time in Goethe Institute, Athens, Greece.
“Brainswarm” is a musical piece of biomusic that combines,
in real time, information from the music director (both from his brain signals as well as from his movement) with the music from the instruments.
This is the point where music meets biomedical sciences.
For more info about the program of the concert (article in German and Greek), check here.
Foreign Bodies, Common Ground Exhibition, Wellcome Collection, 14/11/2013 – 09/02/2014
Six artists, six countries.
B-Floor Theatre, Lêna Bùi, Elson Kambalu, Miriam Syowia Kyambi and James Muriuki, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Katie Paterson.
What happens when you set up six artist residencies in different medical research centres throughout the world? This intimate exhibition showcases a diverse body of work from the artists who worked in research centres in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.
The artists were invited to spend at least six months exploring the activity of researchers and produce new work in response to their experiences. The result is a series of moving, challenging and humorous works, richly varied in form and tone. They record journeys taken within the complex realm that lies between scientific processes and local communities, often on the frontlines of communicable diseases.
Please note that the artworks Voracious Embrace and Invisible Currents by Lêna Bùi have been temporarily removed from display for conservation reasons.
For more information about the exhibition, visit the link of Wellcome Collection here
Brooke Roberts on h.Club100 2013 list with her science inspired design
Happy to announce that Brooke Roberts, the talented Radiographer and Fashion Designer, is now on the list of Hospital Club100 (h.Club 100) 2013, as one of the most innovative and influential people in the creative industry of fashion.
CongratulationsBrooke Roberts!
23/11/2013_Belgian Vesalius momentum in Antwerp_National Belgian television
The Flemish physician Andreas Vesalius who was born in Brussels (31 December 1514) and died in Zakynthos, Greece (15 October 1564) has brought with his anatomical drawings a new insight into human anatomy.
Vesalius momentum IV took place on 23 of November, 2013 in Antwerp: The unveiling of a bronze sculpture of Andreas Vesalius by H.E. Mr Constantin Chalastanis, Ambassador of Greece.
Vesalius momentum IV was also announced on the news in National Belgian television. Follow this link to watch the whole video.
For more photos from the Vesalius momentum, check here.
Next year, 500 years ago from his birth, under the auspices of The Municiplity of Zakynthos and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Athens, the Ionian Island will host a number of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius in Brussels.
The Vesalius Continuum will take place in Zakynthos island, 4-8 September 2014.
For more information, check here.
Karger Gazette – Anatomy and Art through the Ages (October 2013)
Pascale Pollier interview about how she came to be interested in art and science.
Please tell us about you and your work, and how you came to be a medical illustrator and medical artist.
“I was interested in medicine from a very early age. At age 16 I had to choose to either go to art school or to stay on and study science. I was very good at biology and would have loved to work in a laboratory; however, my art teacher recommended to go to art school. This was the first time I had to choose between my two passions, art and science.
I studied fine art and painting at St. Lucas Academy of Art and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, both in Gent, Belgium, and loved the anatomy lessons and life drawing classes. The subject matter in my paintings was already inspired by medical conditions. I made paintings of hermaphrodites and other medical congenital conditions, including albinism.”
Read the whole Pascale Pollier interview on how she came to be interested in art and science, at Vesalius Conference website, here.
BIOMAB is raising funds for the making of the film “Fabrica Vitae”
BIOMAB is raising funds for the making of the film “Fabrica Vitae”, reflecting on the Fabric of Life” on Kickstarter.
In 2014, five hundred years after the birth of Andreas Vesalius, the founder of modern anatomy, BIOMAB proposes to create a film that will show how the legacy of Vesalius is still challenging new generations of artists and scientists to create groundbreaking work.
A group of contemporary, brilliant scientists and innovative artists will be questioned about their work and what they perceive the future of “humanity and the physical human body” to be. It will be fascinating to record their unique visions of man’s mortality, decay and death.
The film will be shown during the Vesalius conference at Zakynthos Greece.
For more info, check here
Kate MacDowell exhibits on October 2013
Kate MacDowell exhibits on now!
New work this weekend with Mindy Solomon at Texas Contemporary
http://www.art-mrkt.com/texas/exhibitor-listing/68/
Mindy Solomon Gallery returns to the Texas Contemporary Art Fair for the third year, presenting ‘Magical Thinking:’ The Narratives of Marc Burckhardt, Kate MacDowell, Christina West, and Christopher Winter. The exhibition will be on view October 10-13 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, booth number 807.
