Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there’s so much to behold at this beautiful exhibition currently on display at the Wellcome Collection. Featuring over 200 items of stunning paraphernalia, The Cult of Beauty is a must-see exhibit featuring historical objects, artworks, films and new commissions.
Around the world, beauty is perceived as something desirable, or even as an ideal, and this free exhibition provides insight into our drive to achieve this made-up concept that’s continuously evolving and shape-shifting.
Considering different influences on beauty, such as mortality, status, gender, race, and more, explore the evolution of the beautiful, and question the norms attached to these trends throughout time.
You can expect several artists on display, including Juno Calypso, J D Okhai Ojeikere and Angélica Dass, among others. As well as new commissions by Narcissister, Xcessive Aesthetics, and more.
The exhibition is split up into three overarching themes: The Ideals of Beauty, The Industry of Beauty, and Subverting Beauty. It invites visitors to not only question these notions, but encourage dialogue and reflection, creating the space for more inclusive definitions of beauty.
Film installation ‘Permissible Beauty’ (2022), developed by singer-songwriter and art historian David McAlmont, photographer Robert Taylor, and filmmaker Mark Thomas, among other Black artists and creatives, will be shown in a museum exhibition for the first time.
This is a direct response to the absence of Black Queer visibility in national history, exploring why some forms of beauty are more permissible and more highly valued than others.
There’s this, plus so much more at this must-see exhibition in the heart of London. So, be sure to check it out if you’re always on the hunt for interesting exhibitions and unmatched beauty, whether it’s for the dopamine or the ‘gram!
‘The Cult of Beauty’ will be running until 28 April 2024 at the Wellcome Collection, located at 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE. It’s completely free of charge so you have no excuse!