Outside In
Examining how our interaction with the outside world shapes our inside world
Our bodies are host to a community of millions of microorganisms that live inside us. Research suggests they have key associations with our health, interacting with diseases, things we consume (eg food and drugs) and our immune system. A multitude of factors influence their composition, which in turn therefore may influence our health. These factors are wide-ranging, but include the idea that our personal ‘microbiome’ might be influenced by exposure to the environment in which we live.
This is the idea explored in ‘Outside in’; that our interactions with the outside world shape our inside world; that we are connected to the spaces we have and will inhabit. The project aimed to raise discussion of the interaction between our health, our physical environments and our microbes.
The first stage of doing this was to create a mural exploring these themes, which communicated the projects ideas whilst allowing space for reflection and interpretation. The second stage is ongoing; the team are asking for feedback on the mural to understand what people like about it and what they take from it, so they can learn and reflect on how effective and engaging it has been. We therefore invite you to share your reflections using the digital platform provided. Simply click on the ‘final piece’ entry over on our blog and scroll to the bottom to add your thoughts.
Collaborators
Ruth Bowyer - Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London
MURUGIAH - Lead artist