Katharine Dowson

A Window to the Future of an HIV Vaccine

A Window to a Future of an HIV Vaccine (2015) was commissioned by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for The Art of Saving a Life project. 38 artists worldwide were asked to create pieces on the importance of vaccine research.

A Window to a Future of an HIV Vaccine depicts a Trimer, which is part of the HIV virus defence mechanism.

I did research with Professor Robin Shattock of Imperial College London and Dr. Andrew Ward from The Scripps Research Institute in California. From these discussions I became fascinated with the important role the mushroom-shaped Trimers on the surface of the virus play in the quest for an HIV cure.

I laser-etch the various layers of the Trimer, down to the smallest molecular level, into 8 separate blocks. When put together, these make up the trimer as a whole.

The 8 blocks represent the many scientists and laboratories around the world working on the problem of HIV, researching their own small part of the puzzle and sharing their findings in a collaborative quest for a cure.

Factsheet

Material
Glass
Style
Figurative, Classic, Natural
Theme
Science, Nature, Body, Conceptual
All artworks from Katharine Dowson
Join British sculptor Katharine Dowson as she talks about her piece "A window to the future of an HIV vaccine", in which she laser etched the various layers ...
Join British sculptor Katharine Dowson as she talks about her piece "A window to the future of an HIV vaccine", in which she laser etched the various layers ...
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