Beautiful glass sculptures of deadly viruses and bacteria

Above, video of a glass sculpture of the AIDS virus being created by glass blower Kim George, designed by artist Luke Jerram. London's Smithfield Gallery is hosting an exhibit of Jerram's glass renderings of deadly microbials from Sep 22-Oct 3. The show is called "Viral Sculptures." Snip:

The question of pseudo-colouring in biomedicine and its use for science communicative purposes, is a vast and complex subject. If some images are coloured for scientific purposes, and others altered simply for aesthetic reasons, how can a viewer tell the difference? How many people believe viruses are brightly coloured? Are there any colour conventions and what kind of 'presence' do pseudocoloured images have that 'naturally' coloured specimens don't? See these examples of HIV imagery. How does the choice of different colours affect their reception?

The sculptures were designed in consultation with virologists from the University of Bristol using a combination of different scientific photographs and models.

Below: a most elegant representation of Swine Flu, from this series.

Glass Microbiology (lukejerram.com, via Book of Joe, thanks Joe!)

• [lolear]

  That is a coincidence. My paintings and drawings are based on disease causing microorganisms, usually diseases in the news. http://www.lauraolear.com

• [Anonymous]

  Laura Span has some similar artwork, check out her virus doilies:

  http://www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org/manufractured/artists/splan.html

• [n]

  A) lol on #3 posted by Alpha Omicron

  B) Why does art always have to have a “purpose”? Why can’t it just be awesome? Do you think the artist was like, “Oh, you know what would be awesome? Glass sculptures of, like, virii and shit. Oh shit though, but what’s gonna be my statement about this? Um, something about ‘blah blah artificial coloring of scientific imagery blah’, OK. On to the glassblowing studio!”

• [Stradivari]

  The sculptures are absolutely beautiful, and I appreciate the concept that Luke Jerram is trying to get across in this series. However, I have a problem with someone labeling themselves as an “artist” when they never actually created the piece that is being displayed. These kinds of “artists” have become increasingly represented in the art world (i.e. Jeff Koons, Gregory Crewdson). This may not be the place to discuss this idea, I just felt compelled to write about it, especially as this post has an embedded video of, in my opinion, the actual artist creating the work: Kim George. I guess my question is whether concept alone makes you an artist, or are these types of artists more like collectors who commission specific pieces that they’ve imagined?

• [technogeek]

  Nice work. One of my own prized (though not highly valuable) possessions is a small glass model of one of the odd creatures from the Burgess Shale. Glass’s fluidity makes it a wonderful medium for organic shapes.

• [Anonymous]

  Gorgeous! My compliments on combining art with knowledge! :)

• [wgmleslie]

  What a coincidence. I just purchased some plush microorganisms for my wife, who is a veterinary pathologist, from GIANTmicrobes.

  Naturally, BSE (mad cow disease) is colored like a Holstein and Yersinia pestis (black death) is… black.

  Also, the wavelength of visible light is around 4 to 7 thousand times longer than an atom is wide, so an atom really can’t be said to even have a color.

• [unruly katy]

  Most excellent. I am always delighted to see art and science sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

• [Anonymous]

  pretty cool .. thats a pretty funky torch, he’d be so much happier/faster with a GTT =)

• [Alpha Omicron]

  The kicker is that it’s a bong.

• [Dougall]

  I’m also a full time glassblower, and its great to see a glassblower featured on B/B. We’re a pretty small group, and I don’t think too many people even know we exist. I do mostly ‘scientific glass’ but about 10 – 20 percent of my time is on art glass. I like both; one for the challenge and discipline required, and the other for the freedom and chance to be expressive.

  Why did I learn to do this? Partly because almost no one else was doing it (this was in 1975). I teach it now at a local college.