Exhibition highlights | 'Tranquillity' curator tour | Wellcome Collection

[Music] tranquility is at one end of the positive emotional spectrum that sits under the broad concept of happiness it's a calm state connected to feelings of serenity balance contentment and peace but these feelings can be complicated fleeting and difficult to attain the exhibition brings together newly commissioned artworks and historic objects that reflect on different personal approaches to finding tranquility from seeking solitude to being outside from meditation to self-reflection the show contemplates many of the different environments and rituals people develop to help them navigate and cope with uncertainty interspersed throughout the gallery are different reflections from historians scientists and religious leaders that consider some of the different factors that shape how we feel and the impact of the karma states on our health how we perform and express our feelings is very dependent on our social surroundings in the 17th century feelings such of joy and tranquility were a morally idealized state this book by the 17th century french painter charles lebron shows different illustrations of the human passions it's open on an illustration of joy with tranquility a very serene state and it would have been perceived to be a morally virtuous expression of passion justly incurs new installation my body is a temple of gloom looks and feels like a yoga studio or wellness retreat millions of people participate in yoga classes daily as a way to centre themselves in this meditative and physical exercise yoga has very ancient origins but it is now a multi-billion dollar industry core wants us to feel both relaxed and uneasy in the space low lighting soothing sounds are interspersed with these quite strange and fragmented vintage footage of people performing yoga poses cool wants to bring our attention to the social injustice inherent within these exotifying practices she asked us to consider who is exploited by careless acts of self-care this colourful print from sri lanka called the battle of mara shows a scene from buddha's path to enlightenment according to buddhist theology the battle of mara represents the daily struggle we face to not be distracted and confined by our own ego and instead see things for how they really are this is the oldest object in the exhibition from 1390 it's a regime decor or a health advice manual this illuminated manuscript offers advice to readers about how to live a life of moderation and balance i love the idea that in the middle ages people consult manuals such as this in a very similar way to the way in which people use things like self-help and well-being manuals today for many people keeping a diary is an important ritual a moment for reflection and introspection in this case a two notes written by the american author octavia e butler they give some insight into the feelings aspirations and struggle she had throughout her career and personal life writing these inspirational and motivational notes were part of a daily practice she had willing something from thinking into being the act of making something with your hands is a way to experience a state of creative flow a route that many people use to achieve moments of tranquility artist celia pym is interested in the memories that are held in our clothing she carries out acts of repair on garments and sees a link between this act of mending with her previous training as a nurse these sports socks have been intentionally cut anticipating areas where they're likely to become worn through painstakingly and visibly mending them this is one of the most rare and precious objects in welcome's collection it's a folding almanac from the 15th century when it unfolds it contains astrological tables and lunar and solar calendars in the ancient practice of humor medicine the body was composed of four humors that correspond with four elements of the universe it was believed these humors had to be kept in balance with the cosmos in order to stay healthy while our understanding of healthcare has changed over the centuries the idea that our health is intertwined with our surroundings still resonates powerfully today being outside on an allotment provides many people with an important restorative encounter within nature sometimes within the midst of a busy urban environment these photographs taken by the photographer toby glanville on an allotment in east london just before it was relocated for the olympic national park diverse intergenerational community growing their vegetables and sharing family meals here inside crystal of us multi-sensory installation regarding forests large photographic prints capture some of the oldest living trees in the world the experience of being in nature calms the stress response labas translates the sublime experience of being in these ancient landscapes bringing them to the gallery creating a sense of awe that momentarily allows us to transcend our worries and simultaneously reminding us of our inter-reliance on the natural world you

Channel: Wellcome Collection

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Keywords: Wellcome Collection, welcome collection, wellcome museum, welcome museum, wellcome

Id: uCattrDnMo8

Length: 5min 54sec (354 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 24 2021