Exceptional and Extraordinary - Unruly bodies and minds in the medical museum

Since humans first appeared on Earth, no two have ever been the same. Yet somewhere along the way, certain bodies and minds came to be highly valued whilst others became viewed as problematic; as deviant and unruly, deficient and requiring adjustment towards a perceived idealised norm. Exceptional & Extraordinary is a series of thought-provoking new commissions – inspired by the collections of eight of the UK’s most renowned medical museums and produced out of unique collaborations between artists and experts in medical history, disability and museums – that examine our attitudes towards difference and aim to stimulate debate around the implications of a society that values some lives more than others. This event is free but tickets must be booked in advance DEAF MEN DANCING LET US TELL YOU A STORY... Let Us Tell You A Story... is a new, highly original, multi-sensory dance production by Deaf Men Dancing (DMD) - known for their unique fusion of different styles of dance with sign language - that invites audiences on a journey to explore Deaf history and experiences of deafness in an entirely new way. Devised and choreographed by DMD’s Artistic Director, Mark Smith, the performance has been inspired by his investigations of medical museum collections that contain hundreds of objects - from exquisite ear trumpets to conspicuously large hearing aid boxes - and the extraordinary untold stories of the people and events, the innovations and technologies that have shaped Deaf experience and identity through time. THE FIGHT FOR LIFE DAVID HEVEY In a world of less, some people in the UK are at the sharp end of biomedical decisions: from assisted-dying debates to machines for prolonging lives, who gets the privileges, opportunities and choices and who gets the cuts is a hotly contested issue. In this powerful, unsettling and provocative film, David Hevey examines the increasingly hostile and uncertain world in which many disabled people find themselves. Disproportionately targeted by cuts in public funding and subject to social, political and medical attitudes towards difference that have far reaching, often pernicious consequences, disabled people increasingly face questions around just who is - and who isn’t - worth the biomedical resources and technology to live longer and empowered lives.

Suitable for
Any age


Website
https://exceptionalandextraordinary.eventbrite.co.uk/

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/am12253?id=EVENT552690