Anna Dumitriu Blog

3rd March 2020

“Coming Back” (2022) is based on the idea of how when tuberculosis (TB) is discussed people often say “Oh, I hear it’s coming back”, and frequently blame immigration for this. But this term ‘coming back’ is truer than they think, because genomic research has shown that the main strain of TB now circulating in India […]

22nd March 2020

“Teeth Marks” is a body of artworks by artist Anna Dumitriu exploring the strange histories and emerging futures of dentistry. The project looks at the societal and psychological impacts of this defining field of medicine through a deep investigation of the Birmingham Dental Hospital Historic Collection and collaboration with present day researchers who work at […]

27th January 2020

“Pneumothorax Machine” (2014) takes the form of an altered original pneumothorax machine originally used to collapse the infected lungs of tuberculosis patients in order to ‘rest’ them. The carved case reminds us of the texture of the lung tissue as the immune system attempts to wall off the foreign TB bacteria that it cannot eliminate. […]

29th February 2020

“Ex Voto” (2016 onwards) is an ongoing participatory artwork and major installation that explores the impact of infectious diseases and antibiotics on our lives, created through the making of ‘votive offerings’ during drop-in story sharing workshop sessions. These secular ‘votive offerings’ reference those found in religious settings symbolising a wish or giving thanks for its […]

3rd March 2020

“The Hunt for New Antimicrobials” (2016-17) was a collaboration between Anna Dumitriu and Professor Maggie Smith and Stuart Priest to explore the urgent issue of antibiotic resistance and the research being undertaken at the University of York in the search for new antimicrobial substances. The artist’s residency led new body of artwork and a participatory […]

1st March 2020

Anna Dumitriu created “Don’t Try This At Home” (2015) commissioned by Eden Project for their permanent exhibition “Invisible You. The Human Microbiome” which now forms a key part of their flagship “Invisible Worlds” permanent exhibition in the Core Building at Eden Project in Cornwall. Dumitriu undertook a lab based residency with the Healthcare Associated Infection […]

29th February 2020

Anna Dumitriu undertook an intensive artists residency in the Liu Lab for Synthetic Evolution at the University of California Irvine. The final outcomes were showcased in WETWARE: art | agency | animation at the Beall Center for Art and Technology, curated by Jens Hauser and David Familian. The exhibition opened on 6th February 2016 and […]

3rd March 2020

Anna Dumitriu has been working with Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen and the Applied Mycology Group at Cranfield University to develop and create an innovative new body of artworks around the theme of “Mysteries and Mycotoxins”. The project takes the form of an artistic exploration of mycotoxins and aims to raise awareness of their significant impact on […]

3rd February 2020

“The MRSA Quilt” (2011) was created by embedding squares of cotton calico in chromogenic agar. This bacterial growth medium contains a dye that is taken up by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, causing them to grow blue in colour and stain the calico. The patterns on the squares are created using different tools and techniques in the […]

3rd March 2020

“Souvenir” (2022) is based on small purse, believed to have been made by a soldier who was convalescing in Egypt during World War I. The soldier embroidered the phrase “Souvenir of Egypt 1916” on the purse, and Anna Dumitriu has altered and added to the original embroidery with images of Vibrio cholerae bacteria and impregnated […]