MyAV范

As part of the Bloomsbury Festival (18 鈥� 22 October) the Bloomsbury Theatre's Studio will play host to a vibrant programme of performances, exploring coming of age and awakening, migration and feminism, as part of this year鈥檚 theme of Independence.[[{"fid":"5791","view_mode":"large","fields":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Bloomsbury Festival logo","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Bloomsbury Festival logo","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"287","width":"768","class":"media-element file-large"}}]]The Bloomsbury Festival, founded in 2006 鈥渟hines a light on the radical imaginations, institutions, and diverse residents that shape contemporary Bloomsbury鈥�.MyAV范's Main Quad will form one of the festival hubs on Saturday 21st Oct. Join us for a day of music, dance, art, performance and hands-on activities featuring the latest MyAV范 research exploring science and art of living well.[[{"fid":"5795","view_mode":"large","fields":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Swamp Girls, The Frog Princess Punked","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThe%20Frog%20Princess%20Punked%20%3C%2Fem%3Efeaturing%26nbsp%3BThe%20Swamp%20Girls%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Swamp Girls, The Frog Princess Punked","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThe%20Frog%20Princess%20Punked%20%3C%2Fem%3Efeaturing%26nbsp%3BThe%20Swamp%20Girls%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"1014","width":"1579","class":"media-element file-large"}}]]But what can we expect to see in the Bloomsbury Theatre's Studio space during the festival? Well, there's all sorts! if you want to be inspired by strong female voices, join us for noisy Russian fairytale-punk crossover, The Frog Princess Punked. We鈥檒l also explore female roles from classical mythology, and what their stories tell us about the ongoing liberation of women in Myth Independent. If you鈥檙e up for something a little racier, join us for JOY, a sea of thoughts on sexuality and self-worth.[[{"fid":"5811","view_mode":"small","fields":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Joy","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Joy","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"978","width":"660","class":"media-element file-small"}}]]If you fancy something surreal, you might enjoy Lucid, a production combining text, physical theatre, acrobatics and lighting to explore the territory between waking and dreaming states. Everyone's dreams are unique, and it is this take on the theme of independence which will bring together interviews with those working in dream research, with dancing and singing.[[{"fid":"5807","view_mode":"small","fields":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Lucid, by New Public","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"right","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Lucid, by New Public","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"right","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"250","width":"300","class":"media-element file-small"}}]]On the loss of independence is The Dance Hall, an intimate story of Irish immigrant grandparents in England gives us a glimpse into the life of someone out of place. Catching the Ghost the debut of Chris Campion, a visually impaired actor and musician who describes his gradual loss of sight with sharp humour.[[{"fid":"5815","view_mode":"small","fields":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"On Having No Head","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"small","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"On Having No Head","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"250","width":"300","class":"media-element file-small"}}]]Keen followers of MyAV范 Culture events will know all about our exhibition of Jeremy Bentham's preserved head - What Does It Mean To Be Human? If you enjoyed that, perhaps you鈥檒l consider what it might be like not to have a head at all? On Having No Head (a dramatization of one of David Bowie鈥檚 favourite books by D.E. Harding) will explore just that conundrum, combining ideas on psychology, philosophy and Zen Buddhism, with a good dose of comedy to boot.To book tickets to these and other events at the Bloomsbury Theatre performances visit their bookings page.To find out more about the whole festival visit the Bloomsbury Festival website.We hope to see you there!

We've just this week launched a project called 鈥楩luff it Up: Make Taxidermy Great Again鈥�.  We're taking some of our animals who need a bit of TLC out of the displays.  While they're having a bit of love, we've made sure there's still things to look at by replacing them with some other kinds of stuffed animals, to highlight the important role of taxidermy conservation. [[{"fid":"4791","view_mode":"large","fields":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Stuffed toy in Grant Museum","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Stuffed toy in Grant Museum","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"1536","width":"2048","class":"media-element file-large"}}]]Taxidermy is a scientific art, requiring knowledge of anatomy and morphology, craftsmanship and accuracy to arrange, preserve and restore real animal skin over pre-made forms of the animal鈥檚 shape.  [[{"fid":"4807","view_mode":"medium","fields":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Lucie Mascord","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Lucie Mascord cleaning a platypus specimen","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ELucie%20Mascord%20cleaning%20a%20platypus%20specimen%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Lucie Mascord","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Lucie Mascord cleaning a platypus specimen","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ELucie%20Mascord%20cleaning%20a%20platypus%20specimen%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"704","width":"500","class":"media-element file-medium"}}]]Many of our specimens at the Grant Museum are over a hundred years old, and they're going to need some specialist attention because of what time does to them. As Jack Ashby, Manager of the Grant Museum of Zoology explains  鈥淕iven the rarity of the species in the wild, as well as the historic value of nineteenth and early twentieth century taxidermy, they would essentially be impossible to replace. This project will allow us to protect our incredible specimens for the long-term future.鈥濃�淗istorically, taxidermy has not always been very accurate 鈥� loose animal skins would be sent from collectors around the globe, and then mounted as taxidermy when they arrived in the UK 鈥� sometimes by people who had never actually seen the living creature. This can lead to animals being positioned in impossible poses, or being overstuffed鈥� added Jack.The museum has around 75 examples of taxidermy, ranging in size from a chimpanzee to a pink fairy armadillo, including platypuses, koalas, turtles and pangolins.  Some of the specimens to be treated include a chimpanzee from 1913 that has cracks along its face, a koala that is splitting to reveal wood shavings beneath the skin, and an inflated pufferfish that has lost its tail. However, not all of them will be repaired. 鈥淥ur Australian echidna 鈥� a spiny relative of the platypus 鈥� has feet which point in the wrong direction and consequently, rips across the ankles. Echidnas were so unfamiliar to people in London that the taxidermist didn鈥檛 realise that their feet should point backwards. We won鈥檛 be correcting this mistake as it forms invaluable evidence of the ways these animals were historically understood,鈥� said Jack. [[{"fid":"4815","view_mode":"medium","fields":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Echidna","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Echidna","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"477","width":"591","class":"media-element file-medium"}}]][[{"fid":"4799","view_mode":"medium","fields":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Twitter speculation","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ETwitter%20users%20respond%20to%20the%20Grant%20Museum%26%2339%3Bs%20Echidna%20specimen.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Twitter speculation","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ETwitter%20users%20respond%20to%20the%20Grant%20Museum%26%2339%3Bs%20Echidna%20specimen.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E","field_caption[und][0][format]":"limited_html","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"330","width":"591","class":"media-element file-medium"}}]]鈥楩luff It Up: Make Taxidermy Great Again鈥� is running until September, while the toys will replace the taxidermy in the displays.The Grant Museum of Zoology is open from 1鈥�5pm Monday to Saturday. Visitors of the museum will have an opportunity to see conservation expert, Lucie Mascord, carrying out treatments on the specimens from the 12 -15 June.  Admission is free and there is no need to book. 鈥淭axidermy in museums plays an important role in engaging people with the natural world and its incredible biodiversity. We hope that the opportunity for people to see conservation first hand will inspire our visitors.鈥� said Jack.