'Abnormal' art exhibition at Bournemouth Library

‘Abnormal’ art is being displayed at Bournemouth Library. The photographs show, amongst other things, a women standing in her underwear with a fox’s mask over her face and a display of doctor’s white coats with writing on them, words such as ‘executioner’ and ‘god’: it certainly has attracts peoples’ attention.

The artist Ju Gosling’s exhibition ‘Abnormal-Towards a Scientific Model of Disability’, depicts many thought provoking materials, her aim in showing photographs such as an ultra-sound with a list from A-Z of characteristics like ‘unique’ down the side, was, as she says, prompted by ‘her fascination with how we as a society define what is normal’.

The aim of the exhibits is to question the basis of medical research and medicine’s ability to cure all illnesses. One of the main photographs that symbolises this is one that depicts a collage of bright coloured photos of people using different medical equipment.

Another example of shock tactics that Gosling uses is statements of her thoughts on disability, which include such sentiments as, ‘disabled people are abnormal’ and ‘making fundamental changes to society to accommodate disabled people is a pointless waste of money,’ as she states disability will soon be a thing of the past.

The photographic display relies on shock tactics to entice people to view the exhibition, and the message that you take away from it is that society places too much importance on labelling people and Gosling has produced works that make you reflect on this point.