As part of Doors Open Day 2025, IASH was delighted to host Dr Marie Larsson's exhibition titled The Pill. Angry Chuckles on 27 September. Marie has written a blog for the Binks Hub about her work on contraceptive experiences and knowledge production through poetry, which you can read here.
Visitors trickled in throughout the day. Some shared that they found it interesting due to their background as a nurse, pharmacist or researcher or their current studies. Many I only shared a smile or nod with, seemingly content to explore the exhibition in solitude. I enjoyed having time – and seeing others take time – to play around and make more of my own blackout poetry using the magnetic boards or simple pen and papers.
As the day came to a close, I thought about the kinds of responses the exhibition had evoked in people and was taken slightly off guard by the emotive, visceral reactions: that they had “teared up” and “some poem hit me like… [tapping their chest]”. I looked through the handful of lovely comments left in the handmade guestbook. Someone had written:
This is a lovely merging of different people’s experiences, and it’s wonderful to see what these personal experiences look like through the eyes of others. I’m glad you’re making this kind of space for people’s stories : )