Toxic Tau

Alzheimer's disease, artwork

Mamamania: An artistic interpretation of Alzheimer's Disease

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A study of the artists grandmother's hands, folded in her lap. The artist's grandmother suffers from Alzheimer's, and this painting was created shortly after 'Mama' moved to a nursing home, after her Alzheimer's disease progressed to a stage where could no longer look after herself. "She lost a lot of weight, and a broad, strong, matriarch became a feeble, bird-like woman. Yet however small her frame became, her hands remained large and strong and capable." 



'Mania' expresses the dementia Mama experiences, also reflected in the fragmented shapes and background of the painting; an atmosphere reflecting the nightmares she described earlier on in the process of losing her mind, when she was still able to explain it. Mania, also relates to the Latin roots of the word for hand. The relaxed pose of her hands in the picture alludes to the way the body can settle and remain hardy, even when the mind has become chaotic.

This image is the artist's interpretation of part of a scanning electron micrograph of a brain cell of an Alzheimer's patient. It shows a tangle of protein (green) which lies within the cytoplasm (blue) of the cell. The tangle consists of clumps of a toxic form of tau.

 
The original artwork measures 77cm x 140 cm and is made entirely using the ancient craft of felt making and the medium is pure wool and silk fibres amalgamated with friction, soap and water.

The volume comprises a collection of stamps, first day covers, biographies, articles and notes on the theme of public health. The stamps come from all over the world covering Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania and Asia. Additional items are in volume 130.

The folliwing people, campaigns and events are represented in the volume:
Meng Shen
International Conference on Nutrition, 1992
Salvador Zubiran
Family planning
Women's health education
International Year of the Family, 1994
International Year of Older Persons, 1999
Gerontology and ageing

Gwen Prout Stamp Collection

Gwen Prout stamp collection volumes

Gwen Prout stamp collection vol.131 Public Health #2

An artistic interpretation of Alzheimer's Disease.


This painting was created shortly after 'Mama', the artist's grandmother, moved to a nursing home after her Alzheimer's disease progressed to a stage where could no longer look after herself. "She lost a lot of weight, and a broad, strong, matriarch became a feeble, bird-like woman. Yet however small her frame became, her hands remained large and strong and capable." 



The hand, here a strong tangible image, represents the way the body can settle and remain hardy, even when the mind has become chaotic. The maps breaking up the lines of the hand further represent fragmentation of character, particularly in the way Alzheimer's interrupts neurological pathways in the brain, disrupting and even tearing up, knowledge, thoughts and memories. 



Painting, oil and ink.

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Ageing

Images

Catalogue

Mamamania: An artistic interpretation of Alzheimer's Disease

Toxic Tau

Gwen Prout stamp collection vol.131 Public Health #2

Alzheimer's disease, artwork

Today’s opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Ageing

Images

Catalogue

Mamamania: An artistic interpretation of Alzheimer's Disease

Toxic Tau

Gwen Prout stamp collection vol.131 Public Health #2

Alzheimer's disease, artwork

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times