Wednesday, January 24, 2007

A gripping installation piece at the British Museum...



IT IS LATE AT NIGHT HERE, and I have an early class meeting in the morning, but I feel compelled to write a small blurb about the exhibition I saw at the British Museum yesterday, before its impression fades from me.

"Cradle to Grave" is the latest creation of the tripart that title themselves Pharmacopoeia. The work enters a modern artistic discourse, that of political commentary on the medical realities of our "modern" lives. This one focuses on the well-being of Brits, in particular...showing in netting some 14, 000 pills: the average consumed by a contemporary British citizen during their lifetime. The meticulous textile, drugs, other medical equipment, photographs of a very personalized treck toward death, and official birth and death certificates, combine in a startling, powerful, moving piece. Thought-provoking and imaginative...
Exactly what art should be.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

heyyyyy it's amanda again....this seems like a good place to reach you
anyway i wanted to let you know that 1. that exhibit looks awesome and thank you for sharing it!
2. i have my own blog now thanks to jim groom for my Sylvia Plath Study so you should check it out:
http://blogs.elsweb.org/amanda/
i'll see emerson AND scanlon tomorrow and i'll say hi for you :)
we alll misss you tons
love
manda