Institutionalised, Homogenised, Vaporised

Close up of stone with text engraved into it

Pandora’s Box – lead and gold sculpture by Esther Fox. Image courtesy of The Science Museum London

In this strand, arts based research will drive an investigation of past, present and future disabled communities. In particular, through the creation and exhibition of an interactive art-piece, Evolution, mainstream audiences will be asked to consider disability perspectives on such matters as eugenics and genetic screening. Evolution is a playful interactive platform based on genetic algorithms that will allow for public explorations of the implications and ethics of genetic screening.

This work stream will explore the past, present and future ramifications of the categorisation, segregation and devaluation of disabled people. The research is designed to impact on policy and practice in relation to medical ethics, and to support the critical engagement of disability communities with research in clinical discourse and public debate. Fox (working with Screen South and Accentuate) will produce a series of film-making workshops, and 2 short films exploring the project’s key themes.