We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB) on CONTAGION, an online exhibition exploring the phenomenon of the transmission of emotions, behaviors, and diseases.
About Contagion
CONTAGION will explore the phenomenon of the transmission of emotions, behaviours, and diseases. CONTAGION is scheduled to open in 2021.
The domino effect, the ripple effect, or the ability of one event to set off a chain of others has been known and described in various ways. From a yawn in a classroom setting off a wave of them to a chain reaction within a nuclear reactor leading to the creation of energy, this effect can be seen everywhere.
Human social interactions are among the most studied examples of this. We have observed historically that our ability to travel, combined with our need to communicate and connect, has led to some of the worst epidemics. Within the human body, the spread of infection from cell to cell requires communication and strategy, which is well exhibited by microorganisms, viruses, and parasites.
Emotions are contagious too! Our everyday lives are filled with examples of how we “catch” subtle or complex emotions, such as happiness, anger, panic, or depression, from other people. We see this contagion manifested in social phenomena such as mass protests, violent riots, or the selling panics and buying frenzies of the stock market. Research has shown that moving against the crowd provokes the alarm circuits in our brain, while conformity keeps us calm. This has formed the basis for a lot of of advertising, propaganda, and social media.
Psychologists, anthropologists, virologists, historians, designers, health workers, artists, and neuroscientists have studied how and why human minds and bodies are captured and cultivated by viruses, visionaries, and vogue.
How to participate
Grab a chance to be a part of CONTAGION by responding creatively to one or more of our five photography prompts with a photograph, short video clip, GIF, or meme that could be showcased in the exhibition!
The prompts are as follows:
- Behind the Mask
- Isolation
- Home
- Bubble
- Viral
Head on to bengaluru.sciencegallery.com for more information. The deadline for all submissions is 14.03.2021.
About Science Gallery Bengaluru
cience Gallery Bengaluru is a not-for-profit public institution for research-based engagement targeted at young adults. We work at the interface between the natural and human sciences, engineering, and the arts through a Public Lab Complex, ever-changing exhibitions, and mentorship programmes.
SGB is established with the founding support of the Government of Karnataka and three academic partners: the Indian Institute of Science, the National Centre for Biological Sciences, and the Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology. It is a member of the Global Science Gallery Network with sister galleries in Atlanta, Detroit, Dublin, London, Melbourne, Rotterdam, and Venice.
We look forward to receiving your submissions!