Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection

An exhibition of Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection this winter looks at the ways in which humans attempt to protect themselves with spiritual help. Featuring two separate shows that illustrate the profound differences between Mexican and European, orthodox and personal beliefs.

Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection
Drawing comparisons between the world of faith, healing, protection and mortality, the two exhibitions give visitors an unparalleled glimpse into the lives of humans and their responses to both good fortune and bad. Examining the Infinitas Gracias Mexican votive paintings alongside a selection of amulets and charms taken from the Wellcome Collection, you will be able to learn about the anxieties, dramas, personal wishes and superstitions of the multitude of people these items wear made by and for.

Mexican miracle paintings
The first part of Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection looks at the Mexican Miracle Paintings, which are small votive paintings made on roof tiles or plaques that depict a personal request for help from a saint. Over 100 different paintings feature in the show, with work taken from museums in and around Mexico City, and sanctuaries from the mining towns in the north. Created by local artists on the behalf of the petitioner, the paintings tell various personal stories, including the domestic and the political, which allows visitors to read a history of communal and individual culture from the 18th century onwards.

Charmed Lives
The second half of the exhibition on Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection looks at 400 amulets which have been collated by artist Felicity Powell from Henry Wellcome's collection. Ranging from coins, carved shells, dead animals to elaborate notes, the original collection was started by the folklorist Edward Lovett, which bought the curios from various Londoners, including barrowboys and sailors, before selling them onto Wellcome.

Artwork
Accompanying the collection of charms and amulets is work done by Felicity Powell in response to the collection. Addressing the allure of the objects and the ways in which they would have been seen as amulets of solace, designed to be touched or worn about the person, Powell's own works are a series of intricate miniatures in monochrome, depicting silhouettes which are metamorphosing into other people and creatures.

Miracles and Charms at Wellcome Collection takes place from Thursday 6th October 2011 - Sunday 26th February 2012. Entrance is free.

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