The Genius of Genetics: A Celebration of Gregor Mendel through Science and Art

This exhibition was commissioned by the Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna.

Our curatorial stance was to set out the historically significance of Mendel’s work based on three fundamental themes: 1) how in the 1860s, Mendel single-mindedly discovered the laws governing the inheritance of individual characters; 2) how the scientific world failed to recognize the monumental importance of these findings during his life-time; 3) the remarkable "rediscovery" in 1900 of what later came to be called Mendelism.

This groundbreaking project was recognized by the international scientific community of geneticists and scientists as the most important of all recent projects on Gregor Mendel. Distinguished geneticists, including several Nobel Prize-winners, collaborated throughout including Dr Michael Ambrose, John Innes Institute, Norwich,; Prof. Gustav Ammerer, Institut fur Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie, Vienna; Prof. Bernadette Modell, Royal Free Hospital/University College Medical School, London; Prof. Kim Nasmyth and Dr. Jan-Michael Peters, Institute for Molecular Pathology, Vienna.

Caterino Albano
Research Interests

Cultural history, cultural theory, history of medicine and science, curating, visual and perfoming arts.
Current Research
I am currently working on a book project Fear and Art (working title) to be published by Reaktion on the cultural construction of fear as articulated through the lens of the visual arts. Fear and Art timely looks at contemporary ‘culture of fear’ by exploring the significance of contemporary art in betraying a climate of uncertainty and anxiety. The book reflects upon the present and on the rich panorama of artists bridging between cultural theory, history of emotion, and art criticism.

I collaborated in a curatorial capacity on ‘Exploring the Invisible’, an interdisciplinary project by artist Anne Brodie and molecular microbiologist Simon Park (University of Surrey) funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project explores the properties of the light of the bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum. The project investigates human relation with bacteria using enquiry and experimentation across photography, film and installation.

I also collaborate as an external consultant on a curatorial capacity for the Wellcome Trust to the forthcoming exhibition ‘Medicine and Art: Imagining a Future for Life and Love – Leonardo, Okyo, Damien Hirst (Mori Museum, Tokyo, 28th November 09 – 28th February 2010). The exhibition explores the art and science of the human body historically and through contemporary art and is based on the medical collection of the Wellcome Trust.

Professor Marina Wallace
Research Interests

Curatorial concepts, relationship between art and science, representation of medicine and its relation with art. Collaboration with Professor Martin Kemp, Oxford University
Current Research
My research is primarily related to curatorial concepts and the relationship between art and science. This has included 'Project 8' which was a collaboration between the UK and Korea, exhibiting contemporary artists from each country. My main project, supported in part by an AHRB award and collaborative with Professor Martin Kemp of Oxford University, culminated in a major exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, 'Spectacular Bodies', and the production of a catalogue for the show. Research for this was extensive including visits to museums in Europe and Russia to identify the artefacts for the exhibition, and to determine the impact of the historical material on the contemporary art element also included in the exhibition. Regular contact established with the contemporary artists in the exhibition resulted in their inclusion in a workshop, funded by the European Science Foundation, and held in Oxford at the Department of the History of Art in September 1999. Its scope was to examine some of the themes on the representation of medicine and its relation with art, focusing on aspects central to the exhibition. During the period under review I have also published works on John Hillard and the etymology of objects. Current research remains focussed on the relationship between science and art and design including a collaboration with the Royal Free Hospital, London University.

• http://www.artakt.co.uk/publications/gen...