Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Join curators Laurie Britton Newell and George Vasey as they discuss the making and remaking of ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’, two exhibitions that form part of the ‘On Happiness’ season.
In this honest and illuminating online event, the curators will reflect on what they have learned about the elusive subject of happiness as part of this journey and how they hope the themes of the exhibits will resonate with visitors.
Laurie and George will audio-describe a short walk-through film of the ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’ exhibitions. They will then discuss their experiences of pausing and starting the exhibition work in response to the cultural and political urgencies surfaced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The speakers will respond to audience questions during the final 20 minutes.
The event will have British Sign Language interpretation. The interpreters will be on screen throughout the event.
About your speakers
Laurie Britton Newell
Laurie Britton Newell is a senior curator at Wellcome Collection and co-curator of the ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’ exhibitions, part of the season ‘On Happiness' (2021), and she curated the exhibition ‘Somewhere in Between’ (2018). She previously ran a rural curatorial platform in the USA and taught at the University of Colorado. Prior to that she worked as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where she curated critically acclaimed exhibitions such as ‘Memory Palace’ (2013), ‘Make Lab’ (2011), ‘1:1: Architects Build Small Spaces’ (2010) and ‘Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft’ (2008). She writes about contemporary creative practice for books, magazines and newspapers.
George Vasey
George Vasey is a curator currently working on projects with Wellcome Collection, Leeds Art Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. He has curated over 50 exhibitions since 2008 in public, academic and commercial contexts. He has previously worked as a curator at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland and as a curatorial fellow at Newcastle University. In 2017 he co-curated the Turner Prize. His writing has been published in Art Monthly, Art Review, Burlington Contemporary, Frieze and Mousse, as well as numerous artists’ catalogues and books. He regularly teaches and has mentored artists, writers and curators for various organisations.
Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/wellcomecollection
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/explorewellcome
See us on Instagram: instagram.com/wellcomecollection
Join curators Laurie Britton Newell and George Vasey as they discuss the making and remaking of ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’, two exhibitions that form part of the ‘On Happiness’ season.
In this honest and illuminating online event, the curators will reflect on what they have learned about the elusive subject of happiness as part of this journey and how they hope the themes of the exhibits will resonate with visitors.
Laurie and George will audio-describe a short walk-through film of the ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’ exhibitions. They will then discuss their experiences of pausing and starting the exhibition work in response to the cultural and political urgencies surfaced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The speakers will respond to audience questions during the final 20 minutes.
The event will have British Sign Language interpretation. The interpreters will be on screen throughout the event.
About your speakers
Laurie Britton Newell
Laurie Britton Newell is a senior curator at Wellcome Collection and co-curator of the ‘Joy’ and ‘Tranquillity’ exhibitions, part of the season ‘On Happiness' (2021), and she curated the exhibition ‘Somewhere in Between’ (2018). She previously ran a rural curatorial platform in the USA and taught at the University of Colorado. Prior to that she worked as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where she curated critically acclaimed exhibitions such as ‘Memory Palace’ (2013), ‘Make Lab’ (2011), ‘1:1: Architects Build Small Spaces’ (2010) and ‘Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft’ (2008). She writes about contemporary creative practice for books, magazines and newspapers.
George Vasey
George Vasey is a curator currently working on projects with Wellcome Collection, Leeds Art Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. He has curated over 50 exhibitions since 2008 in public, academic and commercial contexts. He has previously worked as a curator at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland and as a curatorial fellow at Newcastle University. In 2017 he co-curated the Turner Prize. His writing has been published in Art Monthly, Art Review, Burlington Contemporary, Frieze and Mousse, as well as numerous artists’ catalogues and books. He regularly teaches and has mentored artists, writers and curators for various organisations.
Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/wellcomecollection
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/explorewellcome
See us on Instagram: instagram.com/wellcomecollection
