BLOOD: Attract and Repel

The first exhibition to be presented by Science Gallery Melbourne is going to be blood-soaked, no bones about it.

So what better way to do this than bring together art and science through a fluid we all hold near and dear, blood.

Blood: Attract & Repel opens via a pop-up BLOOD LAB at the State Library Victoria, followed by the full exhibition launch on 2 August at the University of Melbourne's, Parkville campus. Exhibition curator, Dr Ryan Jefferies, knows full well the theme is contentious, 'During our curatorial journey, we quickly discovered that blood is polarising', states Jefferies.

'While it is crucial to keeping us alive – filling seven percent of our body – blood still commonly makes us feel uncomfortable. It is this fascinating positive/negative dichotomy that is fundamental to the narrative we explored. Blood is a powerful cultural symbol of positive and negative associations, one that represents life and death, health and sickness, attraction and repulsion'.

Part exhibition, part experiment, this free exhibition is open to the public and features 22 artworks alongside a program of public events. This includes a blood-themed display in the Student Precinct Project's Outdoor Gallery from Tuesday 2 August.

For more information on how to get your blood fix this winter, visit www.melbourne.sciencegallery.com/blood