Wellcome Collection - The World of Art and Medicine

Wellcome Collection Review by Emma Johnston, Images - Wellcome Collection

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

A beautiful display of bottles at the 'Medicine Man' exhibition, Wellcome Collection, London

Wellcome Collection

The Wellcome Collection is a gallery that combines the world of art and medicine. Which was established as part of Sir Henry Wellcome's will in in 1936. A man so dedicated to the world of medicine that he commissioned his employees to search the world for medical artefacts. These artefacts are composed from medical tools, paintings, photography and other miscellaneous items to be discussed later...

Medicine Man

The exhibit itself in in quite a small room but is overwhelmingly full. I walked in and didn't know where to start. Clearly going clockwise is the conventional method of observing an art gallery but this didn't seem like an option at the time. At the corner of my eye I noticed a table of electronic handsets. They were audio guides and they were especially informative. Short and sweet excerpts that covered a fair amount of the exhibit. It concentrates on the more interesting items in the collection. Items like forceps dating back 500 years, a male anti-masturbation tool, photographs of a close knit Asian community from the early 20th century, Napoleon Bonaparte's toothbrush, a selection of torture chairs and many more! The audio description aided me to smoothly experience the wonderful array of items on display in 'The Medicine Man'.

Superhuman

What is a human enhancement? Glasses, fillings, trainers, mobile phones or even make up? Superhuman is the other exhibition at the Wellcome Collection at the moment. It displays of such examples of human enhancements and how common they are in our lives. Now this does sound quite a serious prospect but fortunately the whole exhibit is light-hearted. With bits and bobs like packs of Viagra, Lucozade adverts, ivory false teeth and a silent film that tells the tale of a destitute false arm that goes on a stealing spree...

The curious device pictured above is the Whizzinator - a false penis designed to dodge doping tests by delivering clean urine, displayed at Super Human, Wellcome Collection.

As well as showing excerpts of past and present enhancement tools, the gallery also focuses on what the future will bring for us humans. Humans who are so eager to mould themselves into perfect beings. Not that this urge is a new fad thing; it is more apparent in modern day society due to media speculation and obsession with celebrities, this we all know and can all relate to it in one way or another. Examples of this on display in the form of photographs and an impressive video of an artist standing naked and allowing plastic surgeons to draw on her body where thy could perfect her. Other examples of just enhancements were a massive machine that can elongate a human life, empowering images of disabled athletes and an almighty robotic wheelchair that has built in sensors to avoid ramming into passers-by! I got the fright of my life when it travelled towards me!

Super Human exhibition displays. The image on the right is of The i-limb, a bionic prosthetic hand, currently the most advanced artificial hand available.

Metalosis Meligna, a pseudo-documentary in which artist Floris Kaayk imagines a disease that causes implants to become mechanical parasites, growing within the body until they eventually destroy their host. Super Human exhibition at Wellcome Collection.

Relevant Medicine

As these exhibitions are free there is really nothing stopping members of the public visiting it. When I attended it was rather busy, so it must be going right some point along the line. Myself I think it is the due to the splendid combination of old, new and present. Initially I had presumed that as I didn't have a large knowledge of medicine that I wouldn't find the exhibitions interesting. This wasn't the case and it was not only interesting but informative and entertaining. The curators have two well organised exhibits.

Superhuman runs until 16 October 2012 at Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE.