Agenda UV

INAUGURATION: Tuesday, 2 April 2019. 7pm. López Piñero Inter-University Institute. Palau Cerveró. Plaça Cisneros, 4. 46003-València.

We live in a toxic world, we know that, but it would be very difficult to agree on the deadliest toxins, their degree of toxicity, the risks they entail for people and the environment or what measures should be taken to avoid damage and minimize future risks.

(In)visible Toxins is an invitation to reflect on the complexity of the processes involved in the establishment of the toxicity of a substance. Through mercury, asbestos, pest-control substances and polluting smoke, this exhibition explores the social character built from toxicity. With that, the exhibition wants to show the mechanisms through which the different protagonists, under the pressure of strong political, economic and academic interests, interact to highlight or hide the toxicity of a substance through the active production of ignorance about its effects on health and the environment.

The examples also show that the management of toxic risks is marked by strong imbalances between producers and victims, which promotes the development of forms of slow violence, often hidden, against disadvantaged social groups.

Through a double look, historic and artistic, (In)visible Toxins offers keys to unmask the social conflicts behind the invisibility of toxins.

Organised by:

Vice-rectorate of Culture and Sports of the Universitat de València

López Piñero Inter-University Institute (Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Universitat Jaume I and Universitat de València).

Collaborators:

Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Project: “Vivir en un

mundo tóxico: expertos, regulaciones y controversias públicas en la

España del siglo XX” (HAR2015-66364-C2-2-P)

Societat Catalana d’Història de la Ciència i de la Tècnica.

Commission:

Ximo Guillem (Universitat de València)

Antonio García Belmar (University of Alicante)

Imma Mengual (Miguel Hernández University of Elche)

Scientific Project:

Mercury: Sabrina Llop, Olga Pardo (FISABIO), Ferran Ballester

(Universitat de València-FISABIO) and Gianni Gallello (University of York)

Pest-control substances: José Ramón Bertomeu (IILP, Universitat de València)

Smokes: Ximo Guillem (IILP, Universitat de València)

Asbestos: Antonio García Belmar (IILP, Universitat d’Alacant)

Artistic project:

Imma Mengual, María José Zanón, Juan Francisco Martínez Gómez

de Albacete and David Vila (Miguel Hernández University of Elche)

Graphic design: Ortogràfic

Production and symbol montage: Simbols