Conceiving Histories
When:
—
Venue:
Senate House
No booking required
Whether hoping for or fearing pregnancy, the wait to find out can be difficult. What was it like for people in the past, before home pregnancy testing was available? What hopes, fears, dreams and fantasies attended the wait historically? Explore the history of pre- and early pregnancy with artist Anna Burel, and literary historian, Isabel Davis. Conceiving Histories is a new dialogue between disciplines which discovers some of the creative possibilities of archival materials detailing the ambiguities of the un- or just-pregnant body. At this Being Human Festival event, we will explore two extraordinary case studies through short historical talks and contemporary artwork: a strange eighteenth-century fashion for simulating pregnancy and a dark nineteenth-century fantasy of an experiment which would solve the mysteries of conception.
This event will include contemporary artwork, short talks and a wine reception.
Please be aware that the artwork in this event tackles the emotive subject of the female body in relation to pregnancy. Some people may find the images that will be presented disturbing. Click here to see the character of the work, although not the specific images involved in this event.
Go to our Eventbrite page to register your interest and find out more.