The Cult of Beauty

Thoughtful exhibition at the Wellcome Collection examining how ideals of beauty have existed in every age and every society.

The show was in three sections and the first looked at ideals and how these vary over time. It also looked at the effect of these ideals on how we think about our faces and bodies. It was good to see a lot of early material as well as contemporary.

Next it looked at the industry of beauty. I was interested to see how many things we think of as beauty aids such as corsets began as medical inventions. Seeing ancient beauty accessories such as this Egyptian slab with holes for cosmetics is always very moving. I loved an installation recreating five “Renaissance gods” from a 1562 text.

Finally there was three commissions from contemporary artists to question and initiate new conversations. I liked a video by David McAlmont which used Lely’s Windsor Beauties to look at current black, queer lives.

Closed 28 April 2024


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