Anna Dumitriu Blog

14th March 2020

The Syphilis Dress (2023) stems from a collaboration with Dr Linda Grillova, George Lacey, MSc, and Professor Nicholas Thomson exploring the history and future of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis, known as ‘The Great Pox’. The dress is embroidered with images of the bacterium observed in the laboratory and those embroideries […]

14th March 2020

“Cholera Dress” (2023) comprises an altered antique 1850s bodice and skirt, as might have been worn by female sex workers who used the water pump in Broad Street in London during the 1854 cholera epidemic. John Snow famously removed the handle of the pump after tracing it as the cause of the outbreak. This pivotal […]

5th April 2025

The “Hospital Acquired Infection Gown” (2024) takes the form of a garment printed “Hospital Use Only” which is being embroidered by the artist to communicate the significant issue of healthcare-associated infections which can develop either as a direct result of healthcare interventions such as medical or surgical treatment, or from being in contact with a […]

3rd March 2020

“aDNA” (2022) takes the form of a contemporary animal bone which has been carved with textures that explore the processes of bioarchaeology and of infection with bovine tuberculosis, a zoonotic disease that can be transferred to humans from livestock. The carvings are impregnated with a piece of ancient DNA (aDNA), known as an insertion element, […]

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 […]