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Beyond the Perfect Image

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Past
  • Free
  • Festival
Photographic self-portrait, from the chest up, of Jo Spence as a grown woman, wearing a babies bonnet and sucking a dummy.
Jo Spence, from the series, Phototherapy - Infantilization. 1984-86. Collaboration with Rosy Martin. Wellcome Collection. Source: Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery, London. © The Estate of the Artist.

What you’ll do

Join us to celebrate ageing and reflect on illness through a programme of performances, screenings and discussions about what defines a healthy body.

On Saturday, take part in a programme of events including stand-up comedy, singing from St Christopher’s Hospice Community Choir, screening of artists’ films and a discussion of the themes in the exhibition. Join artists, theorists and academics who will discuss embodying contemporary Black creativity. Join us to celebrate the late Jo Spence’s birthday with cake and a fresh look at what it means to get older.

On Sunday, join a writing workshop or drop in to a film screening that delves into how illness shapes our identities.

Dates

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Past

Past events

Saturday 15 June 2019

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  • Screening
Still Here
Henry Wellcome Auditorium
View six artists’ films looking at themes of care, self-care, interdependence, disability and reflecting on ‘crip’ theory. This screening is a partnership with the the Lithuanian contemporary arts and education centre, Rupert, and includes artists Avni Dauti and Rebecca Vaughan, Sophie Hoyle, Leah Clements, Milda Januševičiūtė and Abri de Swardt. The films are captioned and you can drop in at any time, as the films will loop on the hour.

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  • Discussion
Misbehaving Bodies Discussion
The Studio
Join George Vasey, curator of ‘Misbehaving Bodies’, in conversation with exhibiting artist Oreet Ashery, academic Patrizia Di Bello and artist Martin O’Brien. Together they will introduce and expand on the themes in the exhibition. The discussion will conclude with tea and cake to celebrate Jo Spence’s birthday.
  • Speech-to-text

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  • Performance
St Christopher’s Hospice Community Choir Performance
Ground floor Atrium
Enjoy the Community Choir performing songs related to the exhibition themes. The singers are patients, friends, family, the bereaved, staff and volunteers, and the music reflects the diverse nature of the participants.

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  • Performance
Stand-up Comedy with Tiff Stevenson and friends
Reading Room
Join Tiff Stevenson and her invited guest, Alice Fraser, for stand-up acts that take a pointed but funny look at topics including ageing, the body, gender and class.

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  • Discussion
Exploring and Embodying Contemporary Black Creativity
The Studio
Join a discussion featuring lecturer in digital media studies Francesca Sobande in conversation with activist layla-roxanne hill and photographer Najma Abukar. The discussion will cover the changing representations of different minds and bodies in the art world, the use of empathy, and the power of gazing at oneself. We’ll explore issues including race, gender and the body, with a focus on Black identity.
  • Speech-to-text

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  • Performance
St Christopher’s Hospice Community Choir Performance and Stories
Reading Room
Enjoy the Community Choir performing songs related to the exhibition themes. In the intimate setting of the Reading Room the group will share stories about each song choice. The songs have a strong social message, with themes of love, support, community and hope.

Sunday 16 June 2019

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  • Screening
Still Here
Henry Wellcome Auditorium
View six artists’ films looking at themes of care, self-care, interdependence, disability and reflecting on ‘crip’ theory. This screening is a partnership with the the Lithuanian contemporary arts and education centre, Rupert, and includes artists Avni Dauti and Rebecca Vaughan, Sophie Hoyle, Leah Clements, Milda Januševičiūtė and Abri de Swardt. The films are captioned and you can drop in at any time, as the films will loop on the hour.

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  • Workshop
Writing Workshop
Gallery 2
Drop in to a writing workshop on ageing and illness. Nichola Charalambou, Director of Creative Writes, will guide you through the process and provide time for feedback and discussion.

Need to know

Location

This is an event with several different activities. Check specific sub-events for their locations.

Multi-part programme

This is a large-scale event with several different activities, which may include drop-in sessions, scheduled performances, workshops or talks. Check specific activities for details and to see if you need to book a ticket or just show up. Spaces for drop-in activities are limited and may run out if we are busy.

For more information, please visit our Accessibility page. If you have any queries about accessibility, please email us at access@wellcomecollection.org or call

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