Contagion: Exhibition explores virus transmission through artworks

To make sense of the current times, a new exhibition explores the phenomenon of virus transmission. Science Gallery Bengaluru presents its first online exhibition-season, Contagion, that explores the infectious nature of not only diseases but also emotions, behaviours and information; A still from Vision 2020 (2020) by Robert Good (Image courtesy of the artist)

The 45-day exhibition is on till June 13, 2021 and is showcased in collaboration with Robert Koch Institute, the Indian National Science Academy, and DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance; A still from A Cluster of 17 Cases (2021) by Blast Theory. (Image courtesy of the artist)

Curated by Danielle Olsen, International Cultural Producer at the Wellcome Trust, and Jahnavi Phalkey, founding director, Science Gallery Bengaluru, Contagion features 16 interactive exhibits and more than 40 live programmes. ‘A Cluster of 17 Cases’ explores the night of February 21, 2003 in the Metropole Hotel, Hong Kong, the epicentre of the global SARS outbreak; ‘Fluid Dialogues’ presents the life experiences of HIV positive individuals addressing the stigma around it; 'The Chameleon Project' captures the transmission of emotions; "Barber at work in one of the camps", 1897, Karachi Plague Committee Album, Photograph probably by R. Jalbhoy, Wellcome Collection; From the exhibit "Controlling the Plague in British India" by Christos Lynteris.

Exhibits are the starting point for Contagion - audiences are invited to view the films and participate in discussions, masterclasses, workshops, events, and a live research project. Carefully curated audio and reading material, an activity handbook, and various online games allow the audience to delve into the topics of their choice even further, as per the exhibition release; Drawing the Bombay Plague by Ranjit Kandalgaonkar (2017), 10 ft, drawing and digital work (Image courtesy of the artist)

Other exhibits demystify the spread of fake news, showcase catchy computer viruses from the 80s and the 90s, and explore global anxieties in the current scenario; A still from Fluid Dialogues (2021) by Basse Stittgen and T Jayashree (Image courtesy of the artists)

“Living with Covid-19 has highlighted our connectedness and the importance of nurturing international collaboration. We very much hope Contagion – with its wonderful range of voices and perspectives – provides an opportunity for all to make meaningful sense of these uncertain times.” Danielle Olsen, International Cultural Producer, Wellcome Trust; A still from Mapping Cholera: A Tale of Two Cities (2014) by Sonia Shah and Dan McCarey

The exhibition is shaped with the advice of a multidisciplinary panel of scholars consisting of historian of medicine Sanjoy Bhattacharya, virologist Shahid Jameel and physicist/biologist Mukund Thattai. Sheila Jasanoff, Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, launched the exhibition. The closing lecture will be delivered by Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom; A still from The Chameleon Project by Tina Gonsalves (2008-2010) (Image courtesy of the artist and Phillip Carr)

Contagion can be viewed for free and is available in both English (https://nowtransmitting.com/) and Kannada (https://nowtransmitting.com/kn/home); A still from THERIAK | The Disease Map (2017 - 2019) by Sarah Craske (Image courtesy of the artist)

A still from When the World was a Laugh (2021) by Anais Tondeur (Image courtesy of the artist)