16th May 2014 6:00pm
Chown Lecture Theatre, BSMS, University of Sussex
Tuberculosis (TB) still accounts for 1.3 million deaths worldwide, second only to HIV as a greatest killer due to a single infectious agent, according to the World Health Organization. This event will profile a recent exhibition by Anna Dumitriu that takes the form of an art/science investigation into mankind’s strange relationship with TB – dubbed ‘the Romantic Disease’ by nineteenth century writers. It explores early superstitions about the disease, the development of antibiotics, and the latest research into whole genome sequencing of bacteria.
At the event, hosted by Professor Bobbie Farsides, Anna will discuss and show some of her artworks from the exhibition. They will then be joined by scientists and doctors in the field of TB to debate many of the issues around this disease. These include: Dr John Paul, lead public health microbiologist, South East Region for Public Health England and a partner on the Modernising Medical Microbiology Project; Dr Simon Waddell who researches the genetics behind TB for potential drug development at BSMS; and Melanie Newport, Professor in Infectious Diseases and Global Health at BSMS and trustee of Brighton-based international charity Target Tuberculosis, which tackles this disease in the developing world.
“The Romantic Disease: An Artistic Investigation of Tuberculosis” was displayed at the Watermans in London from January to March 2014 and is touring internationally to the Theatrum Anatomicum at Waag Society, Amsterdam in the Netherlands in June to July 2014, and then to Art Laboratory Berlin in Germany in September to November 2014, before taking a UK-wide tour. The exhibition was also featured on BBC Global World TV News and BBC World Service, and was subject of articles in both the Lancet and the Guardian and the Smithsonian Magazine. The project is funded by The Wellcome Trust and supported by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Modernising Medical Microbiology Project.
View a film of some artwork from her show here.
Anna will also be displaying work from BSMS undergraduate medical students on this subject. They have been developing their artistic talent with her as part of their student-selected components, teaching sessions that allow them to explore medicine from a range of creative perspectives. This will be the fourth successive year that student artwork has been displayed at the Fringe.
This is part of the Ethics in Performance series.
