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AS ANY REGULAR reader of this column will know, I’m a big fan of the Wellcome Collection: I have sung the praises of its wonderful reading room space (designed by AOC) in this magazine, as well as the thought-provoking exhibitions they programme. As an organisation that first made its money from inventing pharmaceuticals, the Wellcome Foundation now offers vital funding and a forum for research into how human health and wellbeing is impacted by factors not just chemical but psychological, cultural and sociological. What’s more, over the past 20 years, its exhibitions have set the standard for incorporating – and often commissioning –
contemporary art to inform and enhance the topics under discussion.
So I was really looking forward to the opening of the 2021 season, with the theme ‘On Happiness’ – a precious commodity, the presence or absence of which most of us are more attuned to than usual at the moment. Te show’s publicity claims: ‘In this period of great instability, escalating infectious diseases, ecological concerns and rising levels of anxiety and depression worldwide, Wellcome Collection examines the ways in which people find resilience, hope and even joy at times of duress.’ My hopes were high as I entered Gallery 1, which is dedicated to the first of the exhibition’s
two themes: ‘Tranquillity’. Tere are certainly treats in store, the foremost for me being a dark sequence of rooms hosting Chrystel Lebas’ multi-sensory installation Regarding Forests. It features her long-exposure photographs of different, ancient woodlands – so vivid, they seemed almost three-dimensional – combined with an aromatic diffusion spreading throughout the space, evoking a gentle, simulated scent of a forest floor after rain. Soft, tree stump-like stools are provided for extended contemplation. I also appreciated Toby Glanville’s photographs of allotments; bathed in warm, late afternoon summer sunlight, they absolutely radiated that wellbeing
This image Chrystel Lebas’ multi-sensory piece Regarding Forests creates an immersive woodland experience
Opposite page, top right Harold Offeh’s Joy Inside Our Tears explores the relationship between happiness and sorrow
Opposite page, bottom right ‘On Happiness’ comprises two exhibitions, ‘Tranquillity’ and ‘Joy’
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS
Despite the show’s title – ‘On Happiness’ – you may find yourself none the happier after visiting the Wellcome Collection’s current exhibition. Veronica Simpson reflects on the ideal balance between inspiration and provocation
STEVEN POCOCK
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