Dirt: The filthy reality of everyday life 24 March - 31 August 2011 at the Wellcome Collection

The Great Dust Heap at King's Cross
EH Dixon, watercolour, 1837

Dirt' reveals the fascinating world of filth that remains one of the very last taboos.

Our major new exhibition takes a closer look at something that surrounds us but that we are often reluctant to confront. 'Dirt' travels across centuries and continents to explore our ambivalent relationship with dirt.

Bringing together around 200 artefacts spanning visual art, documentary photography, cultural ephemera, scientific artefacts, film and literature, the exhibition uncovers a rich history of disgust and delight in the grimy truths and dirty secrets of our past, and points to the uncertain future of filth, which poses a significant risk to our health but is also vital to our existence.

Following anthropologist Mary Douglas's observation that dirt is 'matter out of place', the exhibition introduces six very different places as a starting point for exploring attitudes towards dirt and cleanliness: a home in 17th-century Delft in Holland, a street in Victorian London, a hospital in Glasgow in the 1860s, a museum in Dresden in the early 20th century, a community in present day New Delhi and a New York landfill site in 2030.

Highlights include paintings by Pieter de Hooch, the earliest sketches of bacteria, John Snow's 'ghost map' of cholera, beautifully crafted delftware, Joseph Lister's scientific paraphernalia and a wide range of contemporary art, from Igor Eskinja's dust carpet, Susan Collis's bejewelled broom and James Croak's dirt window, to video pieces by Bruce Nauman and Mierle Ukeles and a specially commissioned work by Serena Korda.

Part of the Dirt Season from the Wellcome Trust.

http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/dirt.aspx

Art world up in arms at “light bulb” law

The art world has reacted with astonishment to a European ruling which has determined that works by Bill Viola and Dan Flavin, when disassembled, should not be considered works of art for tax ­purposes. Dealers warn that the decision will inhibit the European art trade.

The ruling, which is binding on all EU countries, overturns decisions taken in British and Dutch courts, was made by the European Commission (The Art Newspaper, December 2010, p59) and means that galleries and auction houses will be charged full VAT—as opposed to the much lower import duties which apply to art—when importing disassembled works made from components such as light fittings or household appliances into Europe. For example, UK trade will have to pay 20% tax rate instead of 5%.

This has led to a bizarre situation. While customs authorities can classify works as “wall light fittings” rather than art when considering the import duties (so charging the highest tax rate), the overall tax value can still be based on the works’ value as “sculpture”—inevitably much more expensive than the value of a cheap light fitting.

Read the whole article here at the excellent Art Newspaper



Nathan James - recent work.

High Society: Drugs in Victorian Britain on February 11-12 2011

This event opens with a Friday evening of traditional Victorian entertainment, a performance of the extraordinary Magic Lantern which fascinated 19th century audiences.

On the Saturday a host of experts, writers and historians including Mike Jay; the curator of High Society will talk on variety of aspects of Victorian drug culture including the Victorian Pharmacy, the beginnings of addiction, self-experimentation and drugs in Victorian literature.

Tickets are £30 or £20 for concessions, this includes entrance to the Friday evening and Saturday, lunch, refreshments and free drinks on Friday evening. Also until Friday 21 January the Trust are offering an early-bird £5 discount on full price tickets.

FREE DESTINATION FOR
THE INCURABLY CURIOUS

HIGH SOCIETY
Mind-altering drugs in history and culture
11 November - 27 February
MEDICINE MAN
Henry Wellcome's collection of curios
MEDICINE NOW
Science, art and personal perspectives
See www.wellcomecollection.org<http://www.wellcomecollection.org/> for info and to book events.

Sophia Austin
Communications Officer
Public Programmes

The Wellcome Trust
215 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE
Telephone; +44 (0)20 7611 8812
Fax: +44 (0)20 7611 8258

Jaclyn Schanes: SHOW PONY

Show Pony is Jaclyn Schanes personal and social commentary on being an artist, her fears, the power of the viewer, and the commerce which supports her, but also causes artistic conflict. Show Pony is a multilayered one-night art exhibit and performance/conceptual event that references the great 60’s Art Happenings, a singular event that one needed to be present to expe...rience. The Early Fluxus in New York was a great example of the blending of different artistic media and disciplines to create unique art experiences. Source: http://artandthis.typepad.com/art_and_this/

See the new edit of Jaclyn's Show Pony here: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=168422409863211&oid=137386379631122&comments