The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret in London celebrates its reopening with a dynamic new exhibition of artworks and writing.
Responding to an innovative series of online workshops led by visual artist Charlie Murphy and writer Laurie Bolger, a diverse community of online participants have created artworks, creative writings, photography, video, and sculpture. They have creatively recorded the spaces, landscapes, objects, and rituals that have shaped their experiences of COVID-19 over the last year.
Inspired by artefacts and anecdotes from the museum’s collection, Message in a Bottle digitally and physically captures personal experiences of lockdown within the historic interiors, vessels, and artefacts of the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret. The resulting panoply of digital projections and physical interventions expose poignant and startling contrasts and resonances between past and present public health crises.
Curated and produced by Charlie Murphy, this exhibition has been developed in collaboration with new technologist Robin Bussell, Laurie Bolger, Monica Walker, and over 30 online participants from across the UK and Europe.
Message in a Bottle is financially supported by the Cultural Development Fund. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund which is administered by Arts Council England. Further support has been received from Kingston School of Art and The Artists Agency.
The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, St Thomas St, SE1 from 21st May – 26th July. Times: Fri & Sat 10.20am – 5pm. Admission: Adult £7.50, Child £4.50.
Booking: https://oldoperatingtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173603596/events/428351978
Photo Credit – Charlie Murphy
