Thackray Museum of Medicine: Yorkshire museum breaks the mould with contemporary bio-art show

Hailed as groundbreaking, the display in Leeds is said to offer a unique exploration of modern and contemporary art that delves into the intricacies of the microbial world.

The exhibition includes sculptures and installations made using bacteria, DNA, altered vintage objects, 3D printing, textiles, video and digital technologies takes place until June 23.

The first “bio-art” exhibition in Leeds is at the city’s Thackray Museum of Medicine. It is called Fragile Microbiomes and features the captivating works of internationally renowned artist Anna Dumitriu.

It is said to offer “a unique exploration of modern and contemporary art that delves into the intricacies of the microbial world”.

A spokesman for the museum said: “Fragile Microbiomes is a bold and thought-provoking showcase that transcends the boundaries of traditional art by seamlessly blending it with science.

"The exhibition is a testament to the transformative power of BioArt, an emerging art movement incorporating living media, such as bacteria, DNA and synthetic biology.”

A highlight of the exhibition is Anna Dumitriu's masterpiece, the "Plague Dress." This piece ingeniously weaves textiles, technology, and microbiology together, and is said to offer viewers a visceral experience that transcends the boundaries between art and science.

Dumitriu's work contemplates the delicate balance between human health and the microscopic ecosystems that shape our world. The dress is stuffed and surrounded by lavender, which people carried during the Great Plague of London to cover the stench of infection. The silk of the dress references the Silk Road, a key vector for the spread of plague and appliquéd with 17th-Century embroideries, saturated with the DNA of Yersinia pestis bacteria (plague).

Other items being shown include Microbe Mouth (a necklace with handmade porcelain teeth coated with glazes made from oral bacteria and with a tooth actually grown from a bacterium that produces tooth enamel), Zenexton (a 3D printed amulet that contains a newly developed vaccine against the plague), Disembodied Dysbiosis (a bubbling sculpture based on a living microbial ecosystem that scientists use to learn about the gut microbiome) and Make Do and Mend (an altered antique wartime women’s suit.

Director of Collections and Programmes, Jamie Taylor, said: “We are very excited to host an exhibition from an artist as bold and innovative as Anna Dumitriu. Her work speaks to the past, present and future of medicine and microbiology - and the mix of traditional techniques and cutting-edge science is a great fit for Thackray’s outlook.”

Anna Dumitriu said of the exhibition: “I am very honoured to hold this new exhibition in the wonderful location of the Thackray Museum of Medicine. I have been collaborating with Dr Jane Freeman in Leeds for over ten years, and the resulting artworks have been shown worldwide, but this is the first time they have been exhibited together in Leeds.”

Exhibition Details:

Title: Fragile Microbiomes

Artist: Anna Dumitriu

Dates: 10 Feb to 23 June

Venue: 141 Beckett Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS9 7LN​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​