The
Genius of Genetics, a celebration of Gregor Mendel through science and art’
Press Kit
Content
Press
Information
History and Art Revive Origins of
Genetics in Czech Republic 2
Speeches
Kim Nasmyth: Overview of the
Project 6
Marina Wallace: Turning the Idea
into Reality 7
Christine Borland: The Artistic
Interpretation of Inheritance 9
Eva Jiricna: Creating the
Environment for the Exhibition 10
Abbot Lukas Evzen Martinec: The Importance of the
Project
to the Abbey and Brno 11
The Artists 12
Backgroundinformation 14
Fact Sheets
Life of Gregor Mendel – Johann Gregor Mendel
(1822-1884) 21
Mendel’s Experiments – The Dawn of Genetics 22
The Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas in Brno 23
Brno
City – A Modern Town With a Great History 24
HISTORY AND ART REVIVE
ORIGINS OF GENETICS IN CZECH REPUBLIC
Brno, 15 May 2002 - Artists, scientists, architects and curators from
around the world have joined forces with the abbot of the Abbey of St Thomas’
in Brno, Czech Republic, in a unique venture that honours the father of modern
genetics. The exhibition, ‘The
Genius of Genetics, a celebration of Gregor Mendel through science and art’, tells the story of the life and work of the
Augustinian friar who, in the 1860s, experimented with peas and discovered the
laws that govern heredity. It
opens to the public on Tuesday May 21, 2002 and will last for one year.
The exhibition marks an era
in history when gene research is poised to revolutionise medicine – and,
already, is relevant to everybody’s daily life. It is the first phase of a major initiative to reinstate
the abbey as an international symbol for genetics. Speaking at the launch (15 May 2002), Ms Marina Wallace, the curator and director of Artakt, the
London-based art-science company, said, “There is no greater legend in the
history of science than the experiments of Gregor Mendel.” The exhibition
combines historical items and documents belonging to Mendel with contemporary
works of art on the theme of genetics and an interactive website. In what Ms Wallace describes as ‘a united
nations’ of cultural heritage, the project has been thoroughly and accurately
researched with the help of world-wide experts to reflect the origins of
genetics combined with the excitement and importance of current research. “Another
highly significant historical event linked to this project was the restitution of much of the surviving
Mendel-related material returned by the Moravian Museum in Brno to the Abbey of
St Thomas”, said Ms Wallace.
The
Genius of Genetics is in three sections focusing
respectively on Mendel's biography: his background and motivations; his
research interests and methodology; and his experiments within the historical
context of the enigma of generation and the development of cell theory. These
sections are illustrated by a rich historical documentation, which includes
scientific instruments, Mendel’s annotated books, letters, photographs and the
plans for the glasshouse in the abbey garden
where he conducted his experiments.
Christine Borland, an artist whose work developed from
an interest in family trees, has spent much time with doctors, scientists and
patients. Her contribution to The
Genius of Genetics, is a large three-dimensional representation of the
brain disorder, Huntington’s disease, entitled A Treasure of Human Inheritance and installed in the final
exhibition room in the Abbey alongside material relating to Mendel’s
experiments on inheritance. “Through art, in particular, work made in
consultation with those involved in genetics, we can provide a forum for
dialogue for the difficult issues that arise from our knowledge. Ultimately, people will respond to the art
according to their own experiences,” she said.
Other
artists include Susan Derges,UK, herman de vries, The Netherlands, Cornelia
Hesse-Honegger, Switzerland, Matilda Downs,UK, Rob Kesseler,UK and Gerhard
Lang, Germany. “The artists share a fascination with the patterns observed in
nature and with the scientific search for explanations of physical and
biological systems,” said Ms Wallace.
The
exhibition is housed in an environment designed by the renowned Czech
architect, Eva Jiricna. “The setting and the personality of Gregor Mendel made
this a very special project,” said Ms Jiricna.
She has designed it in the context of the abbey and incorporated a great
many different objects. “It was, above
all, our aim to give the exhibition the atmosphere of respect which Mendel’s
story deserves,” she said.
A fully-illustrated
catalogue in English and Czech accompanies The Genius of Genetics detailing the life of
Mendel, the works of art and the historical items. The introduction is by the curators, Marina Wallace and Dr
Caterina Albano. The geneticist,
Professor Kim Nasmyth, director of the Institute of Molecular Pathology in
Vienna has written the forward and the geneticist, Professor Luigi Luca
Cavalli-Sforza from Stanford University, USA, is the author of an essay
on ‘Mendel’s Greatness.’
The driving force behind
the entire project is Professor Nasmyth.
“Mendel’s work gave us a new outlook on the nature and causes of our
very inheritance. The Abbey of St Thomas, therefore, must be considered a key
part of mankind’s intellectual heritage.” The plans for the future include the
restoration of his experimental garden and the apiary. In 2004, the team are
aiming for a Mendel Museum of Genetics and Mendel Life Science Centre within
the abbey, which will be a forum for discussion on genetics for scientists,
artists and the public alike.
The organising body behind
the exhibition is the Vereinigung zur Förderung der Genomforschung in Vienna
(an organisation that promotes genetic research). The initiative is supported
by leading international figures in
the world of genetics including Nobel prize winners, Dr James Watson from the
USA and Sir Paul Nurse from the UK, as well as the City of Brno and the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav
Havel.
Speaking
about his vision for the development of the abbey, the present abbot of the
abbey of St Thomas, Lukáš Evžen Martinec, said, “The significance of this
exhibition, now in the first phase called the ‘Brno Initiative,’ is greater
than the area of our abbey and the city of Brno. This work demonstrates the victories of good over evil and of
intelligence over human foible and the false claim that faith, science, and
religion are at odds.”
From 16 – 19 May 2002, nearly 100 leaders in the field
of genetics from around the world will attend an inaugural conference entitled
the European Molecular Biology Organisation Workshop, “Genetics after the
Genome,” co sponsored by EMBO and the Vereinigung zur Förderung der
Genomforschung. Among the delegates
will be Nobel prize winners Christianne Nüsslein-Volhard from Germany and Eric
Wieschaus from the USA. For some, it will serve as a pilgrimage, to exchange
ideas on the progress in gene research in Mendel’s home that he himself could
never have conceived in those early days of experiments with peas. “It will be a memorable experience for this
group of scientists yet just the beginning of a lasting testimony to this
extraordinary man,” said Professor Nasmyth.
For further information contact
Mag. Ingrid
Ladner
B&K Kommunikation
Porzellangasse 35/3
A-1090 Vienna
Tel.: 0043-1-3194378-12
Fax: 0043-1-3194378-20
Elaine Snell Public
Relations
Tel +44 (0)20 7738 0424
(London UK), mobile +44 (0)7973 953794
Vereinigung zur Förderung
der Genomforschung, Vienna
Statutarni mesto Brno
The Genius of Genetics, a celebration of Gregor Mendel
through science and art opens to the public on Tuesday 21 May Opening times Tuesday – Sunday 10.00-18.00 (closed on
Monday). Admission charge: 80 KC for adults, 40
KC for children under 12 years old. Concessions: 40 KC for students, teachers,
pensioners and unemployed persons; 30KC each for groups of school children
(minimum 10 children), accompanying teacher free of charge. Guided tours
available on request for groups (minimum 5 persons). Call +42 (0) 543 42 40 43 for reservations and details. Disabled
access to most areas.Café and restaurant in adjacent Starobrno Brewery www.mendel-museum.org
Catalogue
The catalogue in English and Czech is available at the
exhibition and costs 200 KC (10 Euro)
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884) was born into a farming family. He
entered the Augustinian monastery and became a teacher. Between 1856 and 1863 he experimented with
and analysed pea plants that were the foundations of the laws of heredity. His work was published in 1866 but the
significance of his research was not appreciated until 1900. http://www.netspace.org/MendelWeb
Artakt is an organisation that generates projects combining
art and science researching and mounting innovatory exhibitions that illustrate
history from a modern perspective and uses the newest technologies. Martin Kemp
is Professor of the History of Art at Oxford University. Marina Wallace is Senior Lecturer at Central
St Martin’s College of Art and Design in London. www.artakt.co.uk
Eva Jiricna Architects is an architectural and design practice based in
London with an international portfolio of residential, commercial and retail
interiors; furniture,products and exhibitions; private and public buildings.
The practice is at the forefront of innovation in form and technology, applying
the classic principles of design in a thoroughly modern language. Eva Jiricna,
a Czech born architect based in London for over 30 years, founded the practice
in 1985, and now has a satellite office in Prague. Her contribution to
architecture and design has been recognised over the years with a C.B.E. in the
Honours List 1994, election to the Royal Academy (R.A), and designation as an
RDI (Royal Designer for Industry)." www.ejal.com
The Vereinigung zur Förderung der
Genomforschung (VFG), a
charitable
society, was founded in Vienna in 2000 to support
genetic research and to encourage constructive dialogue between scientists and
members of the public. The VFG conducts pioneer research at the Vienna
Biocenter (VBC);organises lectures and conferences (co-sponsor of the
conference, "EMBO Workshop, Genetics after the Genome" 16-19 May 2002,
Abbey of St Thomas, Brno); and is the organising body of the Brno Initiative to
establish a Mendel Museum of Genetics and Life Science Centre in the Abbey of
St Thomas, Brno.
www.mendel-museum.org
www.univie.ac.at/brno2002
Christine Borland, UK, A Treasury of Human Inheritance,
Huntington’s Disease, Entres Case 2001. Silver, steel, agates.
Susan Derges, UK, Vessel, 2001, ilfochrome transparencies,
light boxes; and Pollen Store, 1994,
ilfochrome photographs.
herman de vries, The
Netherlands, Ilex Canariensis, 1994,
leaves on paper.
Matilda Downs, UK, Map of Cow Markings, 2001. Silk screen
print with pencil on paper. Atlas of Cows,
2001. Screen print, pencil and photo lithography
Cornelia Hesse-Honegger,
Switzerland, Drosophila melanogaster eye-II D, Heads in natural colour 1986, Drosophila melanogaster ey.opt, Heads in
natural colour, 1986-87, Drosophila
melanogaster, ey. opt., Black eyes, 1987. Mutant of the University of
Zürich
Rob Kesseler, UK, On Closer Inspection, 2001, bone china
with printed gold and glass lens. Mitosis, 2002, Blown-glass forms.
Gerhard Lang, Germany, The typical marking of the cow herd in
Sch-nthal in Switzerland, 1994. Photographs and large composite
Pictures of Brno and images
of the design concepts are available
Information about Brno
and the Czech Republic www.visitczechia.cz
Trustees:
Sir Paul Nurse, Cancer
Research UK, London
Prof Emil Palecek,
Institute of Biophysics, Brno
Sir Richard Sykes, Imperial
College, London
Dr James Watson, Cold
Spring Harbor, USA
Prof Charles Weissmann,
Imperial College, London
Scientific Committee:
Dr Michael Ambrose, John
Innes Institute, Norwich
Prof Gustav Ammerer,
Institut für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie, Vienna
Prof Bernadette Modell,
Royal Free Hospital and University College London Medical School
Prof Kim Nasmyth, Institute
for Molecular Pathology, Vienna
Professor John Parker,
Cambridge Botanic Garden
Dr Jan-Michael Peters,
Institute for Molecular Pathology, Vienna
Prof Dieter Schweizer,
Institut für Botanik de Universität Wien, Vienna
Prof Pak Sham, Institute of
Psychiatry, London
Dr Mark Tester, University
of Cambridge
KIM NASMYTH, CHAIRMAN
Director,
Institute of Molecular Pathology, University of Vienna, A and Member of the
Vereinigung zur Förderung der Genomforschung (VFG), Vienna, A
OVERVIEW
OF THE PROJECT
Today is
an important day for the Czech Republic, the international community of
scientists as well as society as we pay tribute to a remarkable man called
Gregor Mendel who’s experiments with peas in the 19th century has
lead to a revolution in science and medicine.
We are
all interested in our own family histories, by what it is that makes us
resemble our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Charles Darwin and
Alfred Wallace both realised that the tendency of progeny to resemble their
parents creates competition between self-reproducing entities. Their theory of
evolution, however, had a crucial shortcoming: it provided no explanation for
how characters are inherited from one generation to the next. It took the ingenuity of a young friar,
called Gregor Mendel, working far away in the city of Brno, to set us on the
right track. It was Mendel’s work, which eventually led to the discovery of
DNA’s role in inheritance. Why was the problem of inheritance so difficult? Why
did Mendel succeed where others had failed? These are some of the questions
addressed by the exhibition currently being shown in Mendel’s Abbey of St
Thomas in Brno, Czech Republic.
Mendel
was fortunate that his education at the University of Vienna and the
environment in which he worked provided an intellectual framework, without
which he, too, would certainly have failed. His discovery of what we now call
genes, and the discrete manner in which they are passed from parents to
progeny, must rank as one of the greatest discoveries about living systems.
Mendel provided a “window” on living systems, which lies at the heart of modern
molecular cell and developmental biology. His technique is still very much in
use. Witness the recent excitement about the discovery of genes that may help
to specify human grammar or those whose mutation causes debilitating mental
diseases, such as schizophrenia.
Mendel
was so far ahead of his time that chromosomes and their inheritance had not
been described or understood. As a consequence, those few of his contemporaries
who actually saw his paper could not grasp its significance. Mendel very
possibly died not knowing himself that he had made the seminal discovery we now
know he had.
The
exhibition created by Artakt aims to portray Mendel in the context of the world
in which he grew up and worked. Because Mendel’s work gives us a new outlook on
the nature and causes of our very existence, the Abbey of St Thomas must be
considered a key part of mankind’s intellectual heritage. The current
exhibition is the first phase of the Brno Initiative to establish a Mendel
Museum of Genetics and a Mendel Life Science Centre in the Abbey of St Thomas.
There is no greater legend in the history of science
than that of the experiments of Gregor Mendel, how in the 1860s Mendel
single-mindedly discovered the laws governing the inheritance of the individual
characters, how the scientific world failed to recognise the importance of
these findings during his lifetime and how the remarkable rediscovery in 1900
of what came to be called “Mendelism.” The importance of this exhibition, “The
Genius of Genetics,” and the redevelopment of the abbey of St Thomas here in
Brno, reflects the importance of the genetics itself.
In the year 2001, an international group of scientists from the Verein zur
Förderung der Genomforschung in Vienna and our organisation in London,
Wallace Kemp Artakt, which specialises in creating exhibitions in art and
science, began plans to re-present the legend and its scientific significance
in a new light in the context of science and society in the 19th, 20th
and 21st centuries.
Much of the surviving Mendel-related material was returned by the Moravian
Museum in Brno to the Abbey of St Thomas this year which has made it possible
for us to exhibit original Mendel material together with related items and
contemporary art objects, some commissioned especially for this exhibition.
Our job as curators, assisted by the Brno-based staff appointed by the Verein,
with the help of the Abbot and, initially, the curator of the Mendelianum, Dr
Sekerak, was to identify, conserve, document and photograph all the items which
over the years have survived the many attempts made to silence Mendel’s story.
The most sought item, Mendel’s original manuscript of the paper. With a number
of scholars and scientists, we became a sort of "United Nations" of
cultural heritage.
The objects, including tools, books, letters, and documents, guided us in the
story-telling process. The site itself played a vital role in this process: the
Abbey and its historic library; the site where Mendel’s experimental garden
used to be; the remains of an apiary, marking the spot where Mendel carried out
his own experiments with bees; the town of Brno in itself, the Bank of which
Mendel was president, the Brno community and the history of Moravia.
The contemporary artists who have lent their work and their thoughts to the
project have visually livened up the exhibition: Gerhard Lang, Germany, Matilda
Downs,UK, Susan Derges,UK, herman de vries, The Netherlands, Rob Kesseler, UK,
Christine Borland, UK, Cornelia Hesse-Honegger, Switzerland.
There are plans to hold a workshop involving artists
and scientists next year which will set up a fruitful dialogue between researching
artists and geneticists, offering a work-in-progress preview of the artists’
work for the next phase of the exhibition.
It will start the process of the public and specialists’ debates on
genetics, as well as exchanges of ideas and experiences in preparation for the
life sciences centre planned for 2004.
CHRISTINE BORLAND
Artist, UK – A Treasure of Human Inheritance
In my work of the last ten years I have evolved a dialogue with numerous,
generous individuals researching in scientific, medical and educational
institutions. Their workplaces - cutting edge genetic research laboratories,
dissecting rooms, offices where patients are counselled for congenital
disorders (to name a few) have become my workplaces. As far as I know there are
relatively few similar, comparable models of contemporary practice although
there are certainly historical ones. Most often the resulting work is
large-scale, sculptural or multi-media, installations; sometimes site specific,
and occasionally sited out with the gallery environs.
I hope to find a way to deal with
potentially overwhelming questions of life and death by focusing, in my research, on the microcosmic. My purpose is
not to record, document or illustrate what people do. I suspect that only the
label ‘artist’ could have gained me access to many of the places I have been
allowed - this privilege drives my quest. By observing and asking (sometimes
inadvertently) simple, incisive questions within an exceptionally complex domain,
a dialogue usually develops whereby grey areas can be explored out with
bureaucratic ethical guidelines.
Most recently, following on from pieces
where genetics were considered in the kind of historical context described
above. I became intrigued to find the term ‘eugenics’ cropping up repeatedly in
the press in relation to the so-called ‘New Genetics’ and the potential
applications of the Human Genome Project. I am currently interested in
exploring the ethical debates surrounding these new developments, how they
relate directly to affected families, particularly in relation to antenatal
screening, and their eventual repercussions for contemporary society, as
described here by Dr Tom Shakespeare ; “We
have medical care which ensures our survival, whether we are born prematurely,
or break our backs or develop degenerative diseases ... But at the same time
that disability need not be a problem, genetic science if you are to believe
the hype, is promising to remove disability from the world.”
At best, through art and in particular
work made in collaboration or consultation with those involved in genetics and
its related fields, we can provide a public forum for dialogue for these
difficult issues, away from the hysterical arena of the press. Ultimately, the
individuals comprising the ‘public’ will respond to the art according to their
individual backgrounds and personal experiences. It is essential to value and
engage with these as they form the guidelines we ultimately rely on to make
excruciatingly difficult decisions in the context of the practical applications
of Genetics in our day-to-day lives.
EVA JIRICNA
Architecture
is the response of an architect to what he considers to be his brief. Our task
was to design an exhibition in the context of the Old Monastery, the place
where Mendel lived and worked and enjoyed life with its positive and negative
sides. We have tried to use architectural language to create an environment
suitable for the character if this particular space. The display cabinets fill
the niches of the window reveals, and the graphic panels follow the slope of
the original vaulting. Although we had to incorporate a great many different objects
into the exhibition, it was above all our aim to give the exhibition the
atmosphere of respect which Mendel's story deserves.
Among other things, the exhibition will hopefully cast
some light on the personality of somebody who came from nowhere, started with
nothing, had very little support for nor appreciation of his experiments, and
virtually no recognition of his achievements until well after his death. He
worked without any hope of his efforts being recognised, to be read about or to
even be able to demonstrate his findings to the scientific world. He not only
died a disappointed man but his work was consequently destroyed in sheer
ignorance and spite. He was rejected by those who could have understood the
importance of his work yet was loved by those whose lives were enriched by his
practical advice and his remarkable
ability to be human.
His work - 200 years later - is now amazing the world.
Based on Mendel's initial experiments with peas, scientists now work around the
clock to stretch the limits of what could result in an irreversible change to
the future of mankind and the quality of our lives. And the most remarkable
fact is that it is exactly these scientists, who are experiencing the success
Mendel never enjoyed, who came up with the idea of paying tribute to him, to
put his name on the map, to remind us of the little man behind it all. In the
tough professional world where egos come first in the competition to be
recognized, this is an extraordinary tribute of man to man, an act of humility
and generosity, a truly human gesture.
Let us hope that in architectural terms we have
fulfilled the task of
celebrating the life of Mendel, as much as celebrating the proof that
humanity still plays an important role in our lives.
Abbot St. Thomas, Brno
Ladies and Gentlemen and All Our Distinguished Guests,
I extend a heartfelt welcome to you to our Abbey,
which should rightfully be called the Cradle of Genetics. This is almost unbelievable, but it is
really so! Gregor Mendel’s associates would surely have felt such a sense of
wonder at the magnitude of his discoveries.
We, too, felt the same way when we undertook to organise a completely
new and innovative exhibition on the Father of Genetics, entirely on the basis
of international voluntary co-operation and support.
So, now I shall hand over to the Professor Kim
Nasmyth, a geneticist from the
Vereinigung zur Förderung der Genomforschung in Vienna who’s vision for
the birthplace of genetic discovery has turned an idea into reality.
THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT
TO
THE ABBEY AND BRNO
Considering what we have just heard, allow me to close
with the following observation. Many of you will recall how not long ago
certain curious articles appeared in the media. These articles reported the rumour that the Old Brno Abbey would
have a new exhibition. Today, everyone
can see with their own eyes how the "rumour" has become reality.
Now just who is behind this exceptional
achievement? The Genius of Genetics, of
course. But so are all of you, those who decided with your pride, selflessness,
indefatigability, and generosity to lend your skills to this project, which is
so beautiful and so greatly needed.
The significance of this exhibition, the first phase
of the so-called "Brno Initiative," is greater than the Abbey and the
City of Brno. It is even greater than
our entire region and, permit me to say, than European society itself.
Beyond this, we cannot overlook the exemplary
international co-operation among those who sought to work together and who
showed exceptional personal and intellectual character. This work demonstrates the victories of good
over evil, of intelligence over human foible and challenges the false claim
that faith, science, and religion are at odds.
May this first step in our project not only enrich your understanding
but fill you with joy and pleasure in the success we anticipate of this
co-operative work.
I wish each and all of you a superb visit and pleasant
time in our abbey.
Christine Borland - UK
A Treasure of Human
Inheritance, Entres case (2001).
The artist's
work developed from an interest in family trees as the starting point for
medical explorations of inherited disorders. Successive generations are translated
by the artist into a particular three-dimensional configuration in which each
person is represented by a section of an agate stone. The different coloured
agates represent various symptoms relating to the condition, in this case
Huntington Disease - a hereditary degenerative disorder affecting movement,
co-ordination and brain function.
Susan
Derges - UK
Pollen
Store (1994)
Vessel 1-6 (2001)
As artist-in-residence at the Museum of the History of
Science in Oxford, Derges became interested in the history of alchemy and early
science. Her approach to nature is marked by her longstanding observations and
systematic visual representations of ever-changing natural phenomena. Derges’
work represents the actual process of change. It is not intended to provide
scientific proof but rather to find internal parallels between different
phenomena.
Map of cow markings (2001)
Atlas of Cows (2001)
The work Matilda Downs falls neatly in a field similar
to that of Gerhard Lang’s “researches” as a classifier of natural phenomena.
Her interest in codes, systems and patterns, which,
she believes, represent underlying connections between apparently unrelated
things, is akin to that of many of the historical figures of Mendel’s time. Her
photographs of a herd of Friesian cows are taken with the intention of
isolating and studying the markings on the backs of the animals.
Cornelia Hesse-Honegger - Switzerland
Drosophila
melanogaster eye – II D (1986)
Drosophila
melanogaster ey. opt (1986-87)
Drosophila
melanogaster ey. opt (1987)
Cornelia Hesse-Honegger, who trained as an illustrator
at the University of Zürich in the department of zoology, began her work with
scientific publications on taxonomy. She became increasingly interested in the
fruit fly Drosophila, used
ubiquitously in genetics experiments in the 20C (taking the place held by the Pisum in 19C experiments), and started
breeding the insect in her own house, where she could observe it and draw it,
recording its varieties and mutations. Hesse-Honegger’s work raises the sort of
ethical issues that are so difficult to deal with in the context of science and
human endeavour in general.
'On
Closer Inspection' draws on
the tradition of using botanical imagery as a source for decoration on china
and porcelain, the artist produced magnified images of pollen grains as
photographed through an electron microscope. The images have been used to
develop a series of gilt prints, and they have been applied to a collection of
bone china plates.
‘Mitosis’ comprises a group of blown-glass forms
inspired by looking at images of plant cells in the process of dividing and
splitting. A series of spheres have been blown and progressively stretched in
their molten state until two new forms emerge.
Gerhard
Lang - Germany
The typical marking of the cow
herd in Sch-nthal in Switzerland (1994)
“The marking of the cow in Schönthal in Switzerland or
the current state of crime registration of cows at pasture based on the cow
herd of farmer Jenni.” With this work Gerhard Lang introduces an element of
humour in what is a serious fact of nature – animals and humans carry, on their
skin, signs of their genetic make-up.
herman de vries – The Netherlands
Ilex canariensis (1994)
de vries has a collection of more than
2,400 samples of earth, including no less than 300 from Gröningen in Holland
and 350 from the volcanic islands of Gomera and El Hierro in the Canaries. They
are laid out according to criteria of similarity and difference, but not within
rigid categories. The visual differences which are the basis of so much life
speak by implication of the manifold variations in the lives themselves, of the
wonderful attuning of plant physiology to minute variations in the composition
of soils.
THE GENIUS OF GENETICS
A
CELEBRATION OF GREGOR MENDEL THROUGH SCIENCE AND ART
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Exhibition
3. Contemporary Artists and List of Objects
4. Mendel’s Genetics Garden: Peas and Bees
5. Multimedia and Website
6. The Team
7. The Way Forward
1. INTRODUCTION
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884) was born in Silesia,
the son of a farmer. He entered the Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas in Brno in
the Czech Republic and was a teacher. In 1868 he became Abbot. Between 1856 and 1863 he experimented with and
analysed pea plants and his experiments laid the foundations of the laws of
heredity. His work was published in
1866 but the significance of his research was not appreciated until 1900.
The aim of this initiative is to reinstate the Abbey
where Mendel worked as a centre for genetic discovery. Mendel's Abbey, unquestionably the
birthplace of genetics, is crying out to be transformed from a beautiful but
largely unused set of buildings into an international symbol for genetics.
Within easy reach of Vienna and Prague, Brno is the second largest city in the
Czech Republic and is the home of several international universities.
******************
The intellectual roots of the science of
genes (genetics) lie with the visionary work of Gregor Mendel. His discovery
that the characteristics of different varieties of pea were inherited by their
progeny according to defined ratios was the "first sighting" of "genes"
being passed down through the generations. As the father of genetics, Mendel is
as important a figure as Charles Darwin, not least because he provided a
completely new experimental approach to biology. The recent sequencing of the
human genome is the first step in deciphering this information stored in our
chromosomes in the form of genes, and is leading to a better understanding the
function of human genes.
***************************
From May 2002 for one year, a unique exhibition at the
beautiful 14th century Abbey, pays tribute to the life and work of
Gregor Mendel. Bringing science and art together, “The Genius of Genetics, a celebration
of Gregor Mendel through science and art” combines historical items with interactive computer technology and new works of
art by contemporary European artists.
The display translates the friar’s revolutionary scientific ideas into a
stunning visual experience for the visitor.
The long-term plan is that the Abbey site should house
a conference centre and a museum of genetics and, eventually, a research
institute. It would create a forum for scientific and public discussions on
genetics and the wider ethical issues. The City of Brno is keen to use the
redevelopment of the site as a focus for urban renewal. President Vaclav Havel
has personally given the project his full support.
2. THE EXHIBITION
THE GENIUS OF GENETICS:
A CELEBRATION OF GREGOR MENDEL THROUGH SCIENCE AND ART
I knew that the results I obtained were not easily compatible with our
contemporary scientific knowledge, and that under the circumstances publication
of one such isolated experiment was doubly dangerous: dangerous for the
experimenter and for the cause he represented.
from Mendel's letter to
Nägeli 18th April 1867
The Genius of Genetics, a celebration of Gregor Mendel
through science and art is an
exhibition scheduled for May 2002 to be held in the Abbey of St Thomas. It aims
to provide a vivid insight into Mendel the man, and into the reasons which led
to the formulation of his laws of heredity.
The exhibition is aimed at a broad audience of
specialists in the fields of genetics, biology, social sciences and history of
science, and the general public. The specialist will find relevant
documentation on Mendel's work, on the background to his discovery and on the
development of genetics. Visitors of all ages and nationalities will be drawn
into the magic enigma of generation through a variety of visual and interactive
media.
“The Genius of Genetics a celebration of Gregor Mendel
through Science and Art” will
combine the creative presentation of historical documents and artefacts
(including interactive elements) with contemporary scientific imaging and
contemporary art. The approach is based upon the integration of different modes
of representation and insight.
The three sections of the exhibition will focus
respectively on Mendel's biography, background and motivations; on his research
interests and methodology; on the life in the Abbey, and on Mendel's research,
the enigma of generation and the development of cell theory.
His circumstances decided his vocational choice. He requested and
received in the 1843 admission to the Augustinian Abbey St Thomas in Altbrünn.
In the spare hours, he occupied himself with the small botanical-mineralogical
collection, which was placed at his disposal in the Abbey. His special liking
for the field of natural science deepened the more he had opportunity to become
familiar with it.
from Mendel's Autobiography
(1850)
Who was Mendel? Where did Mendel find the motivation
to forge a new method in the natural sciences, especially plant hybridisation?
The approach will be an illustrated journey through
the conceptual life of his training, the influences upon him and his own vision
and will include items associated with Mendel's daily life.
Section 2: THE MATHEMATICS OF INHERITANCE
Looking at the composition of our experience of nature from its
individual elements, we find facts to be subordinated to laws and determined
through them. It follows from this that a complete theoretical explanation, in
which we explain the interconnection of facts that are subjected to laws in
terms of the latter, is possible only on the basis of mathematics.
from
M.J. Schleiden Grundzüge der wissenschaftlichen Botanic nach einer
methodologischen Einleitung als Einleitung zum Studium (1849-50)
This section will explore the question of what led to
the creation of Mendel's original methods of research. Crucial to Mendel's
insights are the broad range of his formal studies, which included physics,
mathematics and statistics, and his range of general interests which extended
from chemistry to astronomy and meteorology. Mendel's innovative application of
mathematics to the study of heredity and his use of probability theory to
analyse biological processes mark the beginning of classical genetics. His
studies in other natural phenomena testify to his keen interest in observation,
classification and the definition of organising principles. The visual and
interactive display of mathematical patterns in taxonomy and genetics will
bring colour and vividness to subjects which can be austere and inaccessible.
If it chance that an egg cell unites with a dissimilar cell, we must then
assume that between those elements of both cells which determine opposites
characters, some sort of compromise is effected. In the formation of these
cells all existingelements participate, in an entirely free and equal
arrangement, by which it is only the differentiating ones which mutually
separates themselves. In this way the production would be rendered possible of
as many sorts of egg and pollen cells as there are combinations possible of the
formation of elements.
from
Gregor Mendel, Versuche über Pflanzen-Hybriden (1866)
What did Mendel discover? How does his discovery work?
What was the connection between Mendel's research, the enigma of generation and
the development of cell theory? How did Mendel understand the development of
living forms in nature, and what was his attitude to Darwin's theory of
evolution? What was the appreciation of Mendel's work by his contemporaries,
especially abroad? How does Mendel's discovery relate to us?
3. CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND LIST OF OBJECTS
The exhibition will include works by contemporary
artists to re-evaluate the continued relevance of Mendel’s foundational
concepts. The idea is to bring Mendel alive in our contemporary scientific,
artistic and social contexts.
Christine Borland, A
Treasury of Human Inheritance, Entres case, 2001
Silver, steel, agates
Courtesy of a private collector
Susan Derges, Vessel, 2001
Series of 6 photograms
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art Ltd
Susan Derges, Pollen
Store, 1994
Series of photograms, light box
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art Ltd
herman
de vries, Ilex
canariensis, 1994
Leaves on paper
Courtesy of the artist
Matilda Downs, Map
of Cow Markings, 2001
Silk screen print with pencil on paper
Englands & Co. Gallery
Matilda Downs, Atlas
of Cows, 2001
Screen print, pencil and photo lithography
Englands & Co. Gallery
Cornelia Hesse-Honegger
Flies (Drosophila melanogaster) X-rays at Zoological Institute at University of
Zürich, red eyes, EY-IID, 1986
Flies (Drosophila melanogaster) X-rays at Zoological Institute at University of
Zürich, wings growing out of the eyes, EY-OPT, 1986
Flies (Drosophila melanogaster) X-rays at Zoological Institute at University of
Zürich, eye painted back, 1986-87
Courtesy of the artist
Rob Kesseler, Mitosis, 2002
Glass
Courtesy
of the artist
Gerhard Lang, The
typical marking of the cow herd in Sch-nthal
in Switzerland, 1994
Photographs and large composite
Courtesy of the artist
The historical items and papers for the exhibition are
yet to be
confirmed, but will include:
4. MENDEL’S
GENETICS GARDEN: PEAS AND BEES
The garden in the Abbey with its
glasshouse and beehives was Mendel's living laboratory. It was there that he
conducted his meticulous procedures of pollination and harvesting. The
meticulous nature of his experiments with plants in his garden established the
basis for his mathematical analyses of inheritance. The Abbey garden is to be
established as an exciting and attractive site for visitors.
5. MULTIMEDIA
AND WEBSITE
An essential compound to the exhibition - in all its
sections and two phases - is the multi-media element developed. The website
will offer an interactive insight into Mendel’s discovery and genetics, and
information on the project.
6. THE TEAM
The lead body is the Vereinigung
zur Förderung der Genomforschung in Vienna. The originators of the project are Professor Kim
Nasmyth and Anna Nasmyth, with the support of leading international figures in
the world of genetics.
Eva Jiricna the renowned Czech architect-designer, who is based
in London and has developed a substantial practice in her native country, is
the designer for the conversion of the Abbey and of the exhibition spaces.
Jiricna's architecture is founded on an elegant and uplifting use of technology
to create spaces infused with light and colour.
Wallace/Kemp Artakt are responsible for the conceptual framework and
content of the exhibition. Its Directors are Martin Kemp, Professor of the
History of Art at Oxford University, and Marina Wallace, Senior Lecturer at
Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design in London. Formally established
in 2000, Artakt combines the international worlds of art and scientific
imagery. Its inaugural activity was the
acclaimed exhibition Spectacular Bodies. The Art and Science of the Human
Body from Leonardo to Now at the Hayward Gallery, London, in 2000-2001.
Together Wallace and Kemp span the worlds of academia, art colleges, museums of
material culture and science, historical and contemporary art galleries,
exhibition spaces, public and private funding agencies, and the commercial
sector.
At the centre of Artakt's activities is the conviction that the worlds of art,
science and technology need to be nurtured and communicated as clearly,
creatively, and accurately as possible to wide and specialist audiences alike.
The Trustees:
Sir Paul Nurse, Imperial
Cancer Research Fund, London
Prof Emil Palecek, Institute
of Biophysics, Brno
Sir Richard Sykes, Imperial
College, London
Dr James Watson, Cold Spring
Harbor, USA
Prof Charles Weissmann,
Imperial College, London
Scientific Committee:
Dr Michael Ambrose, John
Innes Institute, Norwich
Prof
Gustav Ammerer, Institut für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie, Vienna
Prof Bernadette Modell,
Royal Free Hospital and University College London Medical School
Prof Kim Nasmyth, Institute
for Molecular Pathology, Vienna
Dr Jan-Michael Peters,
Institute for Molecular Pathology, Vienna
Prof
Dieter Schweizer, Institut für Botanik de Universität Wien, Vienna
Prof Pak Sham, Institute of
Psychiatry, London
Dr Mark Tester, University
of Cambridge
7. THE WAY FORWARD
…pea hybrids form germinal and pollen cells which, in their
composition,correspond in equal numbers to all the constant forms resulting
from the combination of traits united through fertilisation
This statement recurs several times in Mendel's
seminal article Versuche über Pflanzen-Hybriden (1866). It signals his
revolutionary approach to biological experimentation and denotes the role of
the statistical analysis in genetics. It conveys the essence of Mendelian
theory of inheritable traits and represents a key remark in the history of
genetics.
The project will develop further with a second
exhibition "Genes and Genetics" (provisional title) planned
for 2003. This will include the history of genetics after Mendel starting from
the re-discovery of his work in 1900. The fundamental working processes devised
for the first exhibition will be maintained throughout aiming to lead to the
establishment of an International Life Science Centre (2004) and a Museum of
Genetics. The re-creation of Mendel’s experimental garden will be crucial to
the second and third phases.
This whole project will gain momentum through the
already proved interest of the international scientific community. It is
intended that the Abbey will be gradually refurbished to host both prestigious
exhibitions and conferences, functioning as a lively centre for the public,
artists and scientists alike.
Elaine Snell, Public Relations Consultant, London, UK
Tel +44 (0)20 7738 0424 or elaine.snell@which.net
Mag.
Ingrid Ladner, B&K Kommunikation, Vienna, Austria
Tel +43
1 319 43 78 12
ladner@bkkommunikation.at
LIFE
OF GREGOR MENDEL - JOHANN GREGOR MENDEL
(1822-1884)
http://www.netspace.org/MendelWeb
Johann Gregor Mendel was
born on 20 July 1822 in the Czech Republic in the small village of Hyncice u
Opavy in Lower Silesia (then known as Heinzendorf in Austria). He
eventually became the Abbot of the
Abbey of St Thomas in Brno in 1868. He died in 1884 and is buried at the central
cemetery in Brno. His father, Anton Mendel (1789-1857), was a farmer. His
mother was called Rosine Schwirtlich, (1794-1862). Johann had one older
sister, Veronica, two years older than him, and one younger sister, Theresia,
born in 1829.
In 1833 at the age of
eleven Johann Mendel was sent to the Piarist secondary school in the nearby
village of Leipnik. The following year he entered the Gymnasium in Opava,
Silesia (formerly called Troppau). Mendel went on to the University of Olomouc
(then called Olmütz) in 1840 to study philosophy. He worked as a tutor and, at the same time studied philosophy for
the next two years at the Philosophical Institute.
In 1843 Mendel entered the
Abbey of St. Thomas at Brno (Brünn) as
a novice and took the name Gregor. In 1845 Gregor Mendel began his studies at
Brno Theological College. On 4 August 1847 at the age of 25 years Gregor Mendel
was ordained a priest. He continued his studies and in June 1848 Gregor
received a certificate of completion from the college. In early August he became a parish priest in
the collegiate church at Old Brno. Mendel was not a success as a parish priest
and after a difficult year, in spite of his inexperience, accepted a school
teaching job at the Gymnasium secondary school in Znojmo (Znaim) in 1849. After a year teaching, Mendel took an
examination to gain a permanent post, but failed. Baron von Baumgartner, one of
the examiners, suggested to Abbot Knapp that Mendel should go to the University
of Vienna to study natural sciences.
Gregor studied science at
the University of Vienna for the next two years. Amongst other books, he read
Carl Friedrich von Gärtner's "Experiments and Observations Concerning the
Production of Hybrids in the Vegetable Kingdom" (Versuche und Beobachtungen
über die Bastarderzeugung im Pflanzenreiche, 1849), which describes thousands
of experiments, including hybridisation, on more than 500 species of plants.
From 1854 Mendel taught physics and science at a state secondary modern school.
Mendel was appointed Abbot of the Abbey of St Thomas in 1868.
Mendel's pioneering work on
breeding garden peas, first published in 1865, was forgotten until after his
death in 1884. His work was rediscovered in 1890 when his experimental
observations became the foundation of classical genetics and modern plant
cultivation. Mendel’s laws of inheritance were brought to the attention of the
outside world in 1900 when William Bateson, a Cambridge zoologist, revealed
their enormous importance in a lecture, later to be reported in the Royal
Horticultural Society’s journal, Gareners’ Chronicle.
In 1910 a committee of 150
scientists from around the world erected a marble statue of him by the Viennese
sculptor, Theodor Charlemont, as a monument to his memory in Brno. In 1965 the father of modern genetics was
further honoured by the opening of a memorial to him in the former refectory of
his Brno Old Town Abbey.
MENDEL'S EXPERIMENTS - THE
DAWN OF GENETICS http://www.netspace.org/MendelWeb
Johann Gregor Mendel's
famous garden pea cross-breeding experiments of the 1850's made him the father
of classical genetics. His results were
originally presented as two papers given in German on 8 February 1865 and 8
March 1865 to the Natural History Society of Brno. Mendel's lectures on
"Experiments in Plant Hybridisation" were published in the
Proceedings of the Brno Natural History Society in a paper "Versuche über
Pflanzen-Hybriden" Abhandlungen, Brünn 4, pp. 3-47 (1866).
An English translation of
Mendel's paper was prepared by C.T Druery in 1901 and published in the Royal
Horticultural Society’s journal as "Experiments in Plant
Hybridisation". Mendel wanted to be able to predict the appearance of the
cross-bred offspring and the numbers of each form which can be expected.
Mendel's work was
revolutionary because he looked at seven easily observable characteristics (or
traits) of the plants to deduce his laws of inheritance. Mendel started with peas which grew into
true-breeding parent pea plants and carefully crossed them. He used pollen from
one type and eggs from the other, and also eggs from the first and pollen from
the second to see if this made any difference. He then studied the plants which
grew from the new peas these produced.
Mendel knew from earlier work that all the offspring would look like
only one of the parent plants.
For each of his seven pea
characters Mendel called the form which appeared in the hybrids (round peas,
long stems, green pods) the dominant trait. He called the other, missing form
(angular peas, short stems, yellow pods) the recessive trait. Mendel then let the hybrids fertilise
themselves, and noted the appearance of the offspring. He found that the first generation grown
from the hybrids showed both dominant and recessive forms, roughly in the ratio
3:1, and that no other intermediate forms appeared.
Mendel then let the first
generation from the hybrids self-fertilise and observed their offspring - the
second generation. He noted that the recessive forms bred true. He concluded
that one third of the dominants must be like the true-breeding original
parents, while the other two thirds of the dominants must be like the hybrid
dominants produced in the previous generation.
Putting his results
together Mendel concluded that the 3:1 ratio of dominant and recessive forms
previously seen must be made up of three forms - hybrid dominant, parental
dominant and parental recessive in the ratio 2:1:1 respectively. Mendel then says that all subsequent
generations will show the same inheritance patterns. Mendel developed a
mathematical model to show his findings, demonstrating his transition from a
simple presenter of experimental results to theoretician.
Mendel deduced from further
experiments that each hybrid plant was producing equal amounts of each
characteristic inherited from its parents in both its eggs and its pollen. This is called Mendel's "law of random
segregation". Mendel went on to
show that the various characteristics he was studying behaved independently of
each other, although on average, each obeyed the 1:2:1 ratio. This is called
Mendel's "law of independent assortment".
Mendel's later experiments
showed that his pea results were valid for beans and other plants.
The religious order of the
Augustinians-Eremites was founded in 1256. Augustinian friars first arrived in
Brno in 1346 and their abbey was granted a founding document in 1350
by the Moravian Margrave, John Henry of Luxembourg. Due to the lack of suitable space within the walled town, the
friars built on a site 'in front of the walls' near the Rhine Gate - now the
Moravian Square.
During the reign of Vaclav
IV the Catholics of Brno resisted the religious reformation movement
of the Hussites, successfully defending themselves against Hussite raids
in 1424 and 1428. However the
unprotected Abbey of St Thomas was almost totally destroyed.
Following the Hussite raids
the citizens of Brno built a wall with towers surrounding it to protect the
rebuilt abbey.
The Augustinians were made
to leave St Thomas in 1783 by emperor Joseph II and forcibly moved to
Brno Old Town, where they took over a former Cistercian monastery following the
dissolution of the Cistercian Order. The Brno Old Town Abbey is a unique
example of Czech Gothic architecture. The designers used Silesian art forms and
its original technology mixes raw bricks with stonework, echoing the Cistercian
monastery at Sezemice, which was built in 1280. After their relocation in 1783
the Augustinians undertook an extensive programme of refurbishment of the
former Cistercian monastery. In 1796 they built a new barrel-vaulted refectory
on the ground floor (now used as Mendel's monument) and a library on the first
floor on the site.
It flourished under the
Augustinians, becoming a famous centre of science and education in
Moravia during the nineteenth century, thanks to the support of the
abbots Cyril Napp (1792-1867) and Gregor Mendel (1822-1884). The Augustinian
friars were famed for their learning as much as their culture and their
libraries contained the largest collection (27.000 books) of books in Brno. The
friars trained many outstanding musicians and singers, including the world famous
composer Leo Janacek (1854-1928). Johann Gregor Mendel entered the Abbey in
1843 and carried out his famous botanical experiments on peas during the
1850's.
In 1939 the Czech
Republic was occupied by the national socialists. They arrested
many friars because of their resistance against the Nazis. There were also a
few friars who had been killed by the Nazis because of their resistance against
the regime.
In 1948 the communist
era started. Religion was to be controlled by politics. The Abbey of St.
Thomas was closed in 1950, when soldiers knocked on the abbeys door, told the
friars that they had only one hour for pack their personal things and brought
them to prison, where they were locked in for many years. The abbey was used as
a residential home for students. Rooms – like the beautiful refectory – were
rented to companies and institutions.
The Augustian order
itself went to the underground and tried there to continue its work. The
present abbot, Lukas Evzen Martinec, became a member of the order in the
underground right before starting his theological studies.
After the turning-point
in politics in 1989 the Abbey of St. Thomas was restituted to
the Augustinians. Abbot Martinec started to reconstruct the beautiful rooms of
the abbey in 1996.
www.antor.com/Czech_Republic, www.visitczechia.cz,
http://www.brno-city.cz/main/index-en.htm
The second largest city in
the Czech Republic, Brno today has a population of 400,000 and is an important
trade centre on the routes linking Prague, Krakow and Vienna. Brno, was the
ancient centre of Moravia and has been inhabited by both German and Czech
speaking peoples for hundreds of years.
Slavs
arrived in the area about 500 AD following the Celts and Germanic tribes
of the Markomen and Kvads. After 800 AD the Great Moravian Empire was founded.
After the turn of the first millennium Moravia joined Bohemia and was then part
of the Polish state. Moravia became part of the Czech nation following
the invasion of Prince Bretislav who
expelled the Polish occupiers between 1018 and1031.
By the year 1200
churches were springing up across the region including the Church of the Virgin
Mary. Monasteries followed including Augustinians at the Herbur
monastery at the Church of Virgin Mary on Jesuitska. The monks helped to
civilise the region, cultivating fields, vineyards and gardens, attracting
further settlement.
Between the years 1231 and
1237 the four ethnic settlements at Brno, of Slavic, Jewish, German, and
Flemish peoples formally joined to become one city and in 1243 basic city
rights and privileges were established by the Czech King, Vaclav I. The
city's wealth increased enormously after an edict by Charles IV in 1348
ordered all merchants of foreign countries passing through the region to visit
Brno with their goods. The next hundred years were a time of political and religious
unrest and during the reign of Vaclav IV in 1424 and again in 1428 Old
Brno was burned as the local catholics resisted the armies of the Hussite
religous reformation movement. Over 170 houses were burned, and the Augustinian
Abbey of St Thomas practically destroyed.
In the middle of the 16th
century Brünn started to become a protestant city. The protestants also
represented the majority in the town council. In 1619 the citizens of Brno
joined the so called “ständischer Aufstand”, what does this mean? for which
they were punished afterwards.Between 1643 and 1645 Brünn was the only city in
Moravia, which was able to stand the siege of the Swedish army. During the Thirty
Years’ War Brno became the capital city of Moravia.
The Napoleonic armies
passed through the city in 1805 and 1809. A polytechnic institute was founded
in Brno in 1850, followed by a German language technical university in 1873,
and amongst its professors was Victor Kaplan, the inventor of the turbine. The
first Czech language technical university was opened in 1899. By 1919 the
Masaryk University was founded.
In 1939 the Czech
Republic was occupied by the national socialists. They set up the so
called “Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren”. They devastated the Jewish population
in the concentration-camp Theresienstadt, suppressed the resistance movement
and closed churches and abbeys. Many priests and friars were arrested and
killed because of their resistance against the national socialists.
Czechoslowakia was
delivered by the Sovjet army in 1945. In 1946 the first free elections took
place and the former president of Czechoslovakia came back from his exile.
In 1948 the communists
took over the power in Czechoslovakia. From this moment, the country was a
so-called “satellite” of the Soviet Union. People were suppressed again, no one
was free speech was abolished and
religions were under political control. Churches and abbeys were closed.
Priests and orders could only work in the underground. In 1968 students tried
to break the power of communism, but were beated down by the Soviet army.
In 1989 the
so-called “Velvet Revolution” took place and this was the turning point
in politics. The communist government was detached and the former civil
rightsactivist, Vaclav Havel, was elected as the president of Czechoslovakia.
Since 1993 Slovakia and the czech republic are separate states.