Based on Hari Kunzru’s dystopian novel, Memory Palace, the intricately decorated interior of the museum reveals the thoughts of the protagonist, with plays on his language, his thoughts and his senses.
Experimenting with graphic art to tell the story and place the language in the context of the narrative, the exhibition reveals a distorted view of the world, with a single memory being the only part of a human that can ultimately survive.
Beautifully illustrated posters conclude the exhibition, incorporating memories from every visitor. You can add your contribution to a poster by drawing or writing your memory on the spot – you’ll then receive an email indicating when it is on display at the V&A.
The V&A is open daily from 10am-5.45pm and from 10am-10pm on Fridays. The Memory Palace exhibition runs until October 20, 2013.
The What I See Project explores female empowerment and self-perception through the videos we share on our website. So the team headed to the Science Museum in London to check out its latest exhibition, ‘Who Am I?’
Who Am I? invites you to explore the science of who you are through intriguing objects, provocative artworks and hands-on exhibits.
Discover what your voice sounds like as a member of the opposite sex, morph your face to see what you’ll look like as you age, or collect DNA to catch a criminal in our brand-new interactive exhibits.
Investigate some of the characteristics that make humans such a successful species, such as personality, intelligence and language.
Reflect on the big questions that new techniques in science are raising, and explore how your genetics and brain combine to create your unique identity.
– The Science Museum
The exhibition was certainly very interactive, with plenty of insights into everything from our genetic make-up, to our unique identity, to how feminine or masculine we think we are.
The What I See interns, Harlen and Marése, are shown on the Science Museum’s graphics
There was more of an emphasis on tests and games for you to figure out what makes you who you are:
I rather liked the more factual side of the exhibition. Computers dotted around the museum gave us the chance to click into the subjects that interested us the most, from ‘Why do we dream?’ to ‘Why are we not immortal?’ to ‘Are phobias inherited?’
Of course, our family and ancestors make up a huge part of who we are physically. As a genealogist, I was intrigued by this component. I could search for my surname in the 1881 and 1998 censuses and see what places in Britain were most populated by people with that surname during those years. There were also documents provided by the descendant of a World War One soldier, including his birth certificate and a portrait of him as a young man, which really added a true human touch to this scientific exhibit.
Overall, we very much enjoyed the Who Am I? Exhibition at the Science Museum. You can check out the trailer for it below.
1) Head to see Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth at the Old Vic,for a stunning portrayal of a woman grasping the ageing process.
Directed by Olivier-Award winner Marianne Elliott and starring Kim Cattrall, best known for her role as Samantha from Sex and the City, alongside Seth Numrich, the play challenges the apparent glamour of showbusiness through a cross-generational sexual relationship.
Fading Hollywood legend Alexandra Del Lago (Cattrall) flees the disastrous premiere of her comeback film. Travelling incognito, she seeks refuge in drink, drugs and the arms of Chance Wayne (Numrich), an idealistic young dreamer turned gigolo. A trip to Chance’s hometown in a bid to win back his childhood sweetheart sees their relationship of convenience unravel in Tennessee Williams’ vivid and haunting portrait of the destruction of dreams.
Gain an insight into the role fashion would have played in your place in society during 1485-1714.
This exhibition explores the sumptuous costume of British monarchs and their court during the 16th and 17th centuries through portraits in the Royal Collection. During this period fashion was central to court life and was an important way to display social status. Royalty and the elite were the tastemakers of the day, often directly influencing the styles of fashionable clothing.
In Fine Style follows the changing fashions of the period [and] demonstrates the spread of styles internationally and shows how clothing could convey important messages. Including works by Hans Holbein the Younger, Nicholas Hilliard, Van Dyck and Peter Lely, the exhibition brings together over 60 paintings, as well as drawings, garments, jewellery, accessories and armour.
Images courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust.
3) An all-female cast is taking to the stage at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to perform their tour production of The Taming of the Shrew. At the time of posting, a few tickets remain for the midnight show on Friday 21. It will be played out on a traditional booth stage, just like in the Elizabethan era.
Directed by Joe Murphy, the renowned comedy features Kate Lamb as Katherina, Olivia Morgan as Bianca/Biondello, and Leah Whitaker as Petruchio.
The show will tour the U.K., Europe and – for the first time ever for a Globe Theatre tour – Asia.
Image courtesy of Shakespeare’s Globe.
4) The Propaganda: Power and Persuasion exhibition at the British Library showcases international state propaganda spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.
Box office tickets will not be available online this Sunday June 23, but can be purchased in person at the British Library.
The exhibition costs £9 for adults – under 18s go free – and concessions are also available.
Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte in his robes of state from the British Library exhibition. Image courtesy of the British Library.
5) Discover who you really are at the Science Museum.
The free Who am I? Exhibition on the Wellcome Wing, First Floor, uses the latest technology to examine what makes us who we are. With MRI scan helmets, electrotherapy machines and bionic eyes, it’s sure to be a dynamic experience.
Who am I? invites you to explore the science of who you are through intriguing objects, provocative artworks and hands-on exhibits.
Discover what your voice sounds like as a member of the opposite sex, morph your face to see what you’ll look like as you age, or collect DNA to catch a criminal in our brand-new interactive exhibits.
Investigate some of the characteristics that make humans such a successful species, such as personality, intelligence and language.
Reflect on the big questions that new techniques in science are raising, and explore how your genetics and brain combine to create your unique identity.
whatiseeproject 