A free exhibition and events programme at the Science Gallery London will explore the art, science, ethics and technology of organ transplants and tissue regeneration.
Spare Parts, which runs from 28th February to 12th May, is the second exhibition season from the new Science Gallery London at King’s College London. Drawing on the latest research from the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, and the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, the exhibition examines organ transplantation and tissue regeneration through the creative responses of world-renowned artists and designers.
The exhibition programme considers the emotional and psychological aspects of living with a replacement organ or limb; organic or engineered. Developed alongside scientists from King’s College London and the gallery’s Young Leaders – 15-25 year-olds from neighbouring boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark – the exhibition will invite visitors to question whether ‘spare parts’ can exist outside the biological body, or whether our bodies can be a sum of independent parts that are regenerated, enhanced, donated or altered.
Exhibition highlights will include experimental incubators hosting cellular life from Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr; auditory prosthetics from sculptor Tabatha Andrews; body parts crafted from fabrics, created by textile designer Amy Congdon; and 3D-printed models of hearts designed by Salomé Bazin, founder of Cellule, a collaborative design studio for healthcare innovation.
Video and sound installations describing the impact of organ donation will also be showcased alongside the voices of patients, artists, and scientists from the Biomedical Engineering Department, the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and the Tissue Engineering and Biophotonics Division at King’s.
At the centre of the exhibition is The Gut, an immersive experience offering an interactive space to explore the art and science of human repair first hand. Visitors will be able to splice cacti to help them understand issues surrounding human tissue grafting, stitch together electrodes while considering innovations in biotechnology, and exchange bacteria via the SuperTurd Card Game.
Students from King’s College London’s Synthetic Anatomy & Biotechnology will also host a 3D print open source body parts workshop, whilst independent magazine OUTLND will take over the space during their residency. This comes ahead of the season’s first Friday Late on 15th March, featuring events curated by the gallery’s Young Leaders.
When: 28th February – 12th May 2019
Where: Science Gallery London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9GU
£: Free admission
More info: london.sciencegallery.com
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