Leeds museum unveils 'plague dress' in new exhibition

A dress containing the DNA of plague bacteria and a necklace made from porcelain teeth have gone on show as part of an exhibition in Leeds.

The raw silk "plague dress", made by artist Anna Dumitriu, is on display at the Thackray Museum of Medicine as part of its Fragile Microbiomes exhibition.

It is stuffed with lavender, which was used to cover the smell of plague victims, and dyed with walnut husks.

The collection includes sculptures and installations blending art and science.

The dress is made in the style of a garment from 1665, the year of the Great Plague.

It is hand-dyed with walnut husks in reference to herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, who recommended walnuts as a treatment for the disease.

Jamie Taylor, director of collections and programmes, said: "We are very excited to host an exhibition from an artist as bold and innovative as Anna Dumitriu.

"Her work speaks to the past, present and future of medicine and microbiology - and the mix of traditional techniques and cutting-edge science is a great fit for Thackray's outlook."

Ms Dumitriu extracted the DNA from killed plague bacteria in the laboratory of the National Collection of Type Cultures at the UK Health Security Agency, where she is artist in residence.

Other exhibits include further items made using a combination of bacteria and textiles - art which "delves into the intricacies of the microbial world", the museum said.

Thackray Museum of Medicine, opened in 1997, is set in a former workhouse that became part of Leeds' St James's Hospital.

Fragile Microbiomes runs until 23 June.

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