Vol. 7 No. 2 (2010)

'Swine Flu Virus', by Luke Jerram, This detail image of a swine flu virus sculpture, itself one in a series of glass sculptures which includes an HIV virus now displayed at the Wellcome Collection in London, is a reflection on how images of phenomena are represented to the public. Scientific images (of viruses for example) are often taken in black and white on an electron microscope and then coloured artificially by scientists or the press, sometimes for scientific reasons, sometimes for aesthetic reasons (or to to add emotional content, including fear). The public is thus lead to believe there is scientific authenticity or truth in these images, but they are not necessarily accurate, and the limits of imaging technology also leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Because the H1N1 virus is quite amorphous, without one fixed shape, it offered some artistic flexibility, and the intention with this sculpture was to encourage an appreciation of the beauty of virology, but also to highlight the tension between that beauty and the danger that the virus represents, and the terrible impact it could have on humanity.
Published: 01-Aug-2010

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