Pandemic: Gothic pathologies, quarantines, and creative explorations of fear and transmission

Pandemic emerged on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the Spanish Influenza pandemic to Tasmania (early 1919). Pandemic is an interdisciplinary exhibition developed in partnership with Contemporary Art Tasmania. Presented at the Plimsoll Gallery as part of Ten Days on the Island festival of culture, the exhibition was developed and designed for touring, with CAT supporting further tours in 2019 and 2020. Exploring the cultural significance of contemporary pandemics, the exhibition brought together artists of international regard, emerging researchers, archival material, and new commissions. Exploring historical and contemporary narratives of fear – HIV/AIDs, vaccine hesitancy, Fake news, migration – the exhibition evidenced the important role of language in transmitting misinformation.