E.coli - Luke Jerram

Luke Jerram’s giant inflatable E.coli will be on display in the Winter Garden in October and November 2023. 

Bacteria are simplest forms of free-living life and they exist everywhere in the world, from the deepest oceans to driest deserts and even in the clouds.  They play key roles in sustaining our biosphere, breaking down decaying matter to release nutrients for plant growth and producing many drinks and foodstuffs we love including cheese and yoghurt. Bacteria are also our constant companions in life since most of the cells in our bodies are actually bacterial rather than our own. However, bacteria can be harmful as well as useful, causing many infections that can threaten our health. Due to the over prescription of antibiotics some bacteria have developed resistance- a fact that threatens our future lives. To combat this growing threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria University of Sheffield scientists are leading the way in uncovering the mechanisms of drug resistance and developing new weapons against these harmful bugs. 

Luke’s artwork aims to bring the hidden world of bacteria to life, illuminating and stoking debate around these issues and the importance of a unified approach to tackling them in the future.

8am-8pm daily, 19 October - 30 November 
Winter Garden, Sheffield City Centre