Living / Loss: The Experience of Illness in Art
Until 10 March 2013
Lewis Glucksman Gallery
University College Cork
Ireland
Artists: Cecily Brennan, Martin Creed, Damien Hirst, Laura Potter, Mary Rose O’Neill, The Project Twins, Paul Seawright, Jo Spence/Terry Dennett, Thomas Struth, and material from the Wellcome Collection.
Curated by Fiona Kearney in partnership with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, UCC.
Great achievements in modern medicine have enhanced our knowledge and treatment of many diseases, but understanding what it feels like to be sick requires more than technological advances and medical science. The facts of disease are objective and readily available, whereas illness is subjective, less accessible, difficult to teach, and sadly, often neglected.
Although the developed world has been relieved of many scourges, chronic illness is widespread and increasing in prevalence. Few are spared the experience of illness or can avoid being touched by it, either personally or because of the misfortune of a loved one. Living / Loss, a major exhibition at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork, presents a range of artistic perspectives on illness, from the candid self-portraits of Jo Spence during her cancer treatment, to the tender and compassionate paintings of patients by Cecily Brennan. The show embraces humour with the tongue-in-cheek pharmaceutical packets invented by Damien Hirst, and pathos in the heightened detail of Thomas Struth’s photography for hospital rooms. A site-specific work that deals with public perceptions of illness has been specifically created for the gallery by Irish artists, the Project Twins.
Accompanying the exhibition is a series of artist talks with Cecily Brennan, The Project Twins and Thomas Struth. Their diverse ways of working demonstrate the various approaches that artists have taken to represent, communicate and draw attention to the lived experience of illness. Booking is essential as spaces are limited. Please call +353214901844 or email info [at] glucksman.org.
Schedule:
Cecily Brennan 1pm, Wednesday 30 January
The Project Twins 1pm, Wednesday 6 February
Thomas Struth 6pm, Tuesday 5 March
