E.coli by Luke Jerram
3 Aug - 31 Aug 2022
The Grand Gallery
The 90ft long inflatable sculpture is 5 million times bigger than the real bacterium.
Bristol-based Luke Jerram's inflatable E.coli sculpture is suspended from the ceiling of our Grand Gallery. Watch the time lapse video below to see how this amazing artwork was installed.
Installation time lapse
When standing next to it, does the bacterium alter your personal sense of scale? Does it look scary, beautiful, comical or alien? Will you be attracted or repelled by it?
Luke Jerram's E.coli sculpture in the Grand Gallery at the National Museum of Scotland.
Bacteria were the earliest form of life on our planet, and so this artwork could be considered as a curious portrait of our distant ancestors. If there is life on other planets (or moons) in our solar system, it may well look like this. This artwork was also made to reflect upon the importance of bacteria in our lives. Although some forms of Escherichia coli (or E. coli) bacteria can cause illness and even death in humans, the use of the bacteria is vital in medical research.
The E.coli artwork is brought to Edinburgh Art Festival with the support of the University of Sheffield.
Plan your visit to National Museum of Scotland.
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1JF
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