“A Vision of Yellow Foxgloves” — Foxgloves hide danger beneath their beauty. Victorian medicines derived from the flower caused eye damage, resulting in yellow-tinted vision.
Marie Curie was poisoned by radium, her own discovery.
“Mad Honey” — Honey produced from the pollen of rhododendron and agarista pollen has a deranging and sometimes deadly effect on the taster.
“Gone Fishing” — A great number poisonous fish lurk within the murky depths. Fisherman, beware!
“The Newlywed” — Lyudmilla Ignatenko absorbs secondhand radiation from her doomed husband, one of the first firefighters sent to minimize the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. Based on an interview in Svetlana Alexievich’s Voices from Chernobyl.
Victorian garments were often dyed with arsenic, a deadly green.
“Radium Dial Co.” — Luminous radium paint was used to paint glow-in-the-dark numbers on 1920s clocks. Factory workers were instructed to lick the tip of their paintbrush to ensure a fine point, causing widespread radiation poisoning and death of factory workers within a few short years. This piece shows the story of two sisters who worked at the factory, one who was spared and one who was not.
“Like a Light” — The phosphorus used to make matches in the early 20th century caused the jawbones of factory workers to deteriorate over time.
“The Mad Hatter” — Victorian hats were made using mercury, a substance toxic to maker and wearer alike.
Accompanying piece to “The Mad Hatter”
Accompanying piece to “The Mad Hatter”
Handle with Care
“Handle with Care” explores historical narratives surrounding toxins, examining what attracts people towards dangerous situations and dwelling on the humanity of optimism and innocence.
