Glass microbiology sculpture is transparent glass sculpture of microbiology creature. It was created to contemplate the global impact of each disease and to consider how the artificial coloring of scientific imagery affects our understanding of phenomena. Luke Jerram is exploring the tension between the artworks' beauty, what they represent and their impact on humanity. The sculptures are approximately 1 million times larger than the actual viruses.

The question of pseudo-colouring in biomedicine and its use for science communicative purposes, is a vast and complex subject. If some images are coloured for scientific purposes, and others altered simply for aesthetic reasons, how can a viewer tell the difference? How many people believe viruses are brightly coloured? Are there any colour conventions and what kind of ‘presence’ do pseudocoloured images have that ‘naturally’ coloured specimens don’t? See these examples of HIV imagery. How does the choice of different colours affect their reception?

In response to these questions, Jerram has created a series of transparent, three dimensional sculptures. Photographs of these artworks are being distributed to act as alternative representations of each virus. Ironically in 2007 photographer David Sayer won an award from the Institute of Medical Imaging for the artificially coloured image he took of Jerrams HIV sculpture.

The sculptures were designed in consultation with virologists from the University of Bristol using a combination of different scientific photographs and models. They were made in collaboration with glassblowers Kim George, Brian Jones and Norman Veitch.

His creations

Here are the pictures of his works so far
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Here are the videos of his owrks:
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New T4 bacteriophage sculpture

This new artwork has been created to be exhibited at this years Venice Biennale in Glasstress2011.  Its the most detailed and intricate glasswork Jerram and his team have made to date. The virus infects E. coli bacteria and in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe has been used for over 60 years as an alternative to antibiotics. More recently they are seen to have potential as a therapy against multi drug resistant strains of many bacteria. One potential treatment currently under development is a phage designed to destroy MRSA.

Jerram said,

"It's great to be exploring the edges of scientific understanding and visualisation of a virus. Scientists aren't able to answer many of the questions I ask them, such as how the RNA is exactly fitted within the Capsid? At the moment, camera technology can't answer these questions either. I'm also pushing the boundaries of glassblowing. Some of my designs simply can't be created in glass. Some are simply too fragile and gravity would cause them to collapse under their own weight. So there's a very careful balancing act that needs to take place, between exploring current scientific knowledge and the limitations of glassblowing techniques."

HIV

Editions of this work are on display in The Wellcome Collection, London,  Bristol City Museum and the Corning Museum, New York. One edition was auctioned for the HIV/Aids Charity AVERT, raising money for victims in South Africa.

A letter from a stranger received Sept '09.......

Dear Luke,
I just saw a photo of your glass sculpture of HIV.
I can't stop looking at it. Knowing that millions of those guys are in me, and will be a part of me for the rest of my life. Your sculpture, even as a photo, has made HIV much more real for me than any photo or illustration I've ever seen. It's a very odd feeling seeing my enemy, and the eventual likely cause of my death, and finding it so beautiful.
Thankyou.

Museum collections

His works have been stored in thes museums
- Corning Museum, New York 2010
- Chazen Museum, Wisconsin, USA 2010
- Alexander Tutsek Foundation, Germany 2010
- The Wellcome Collection, London Collection acquired 2004-2009
- Bristol City Museum 2009