Asia: Body, Mind, Spirit

Note: this exhibition is now closed, but its content is available to view online.

The Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
13 October-12 December 2004    
Curated by Nigel Allan and William Schupbach (Wellcome Library), and Zara Fleming (Asia House).

The exhibition was presented by the Wellcome Trust and Asia House. Here you can explore the themes of the exhibition and some of the works that were on display. To find out more about a particular image, please use the Library catalogue. A downloadable version of these pages has been included [PDF 2.89MB], and the images featured can also be ordered from Wellcome Images.

Throughout history, the maintenance of health and the prevention of disease have been of fundamental human concern. In Asia, the wellbeing of humanity has always been interpreted as a balance of body, mind and spirit. The exhibition explored the theories and practices that relate to this harmonious relationship by introducing the great traditions of Asia, which focus on balance in all aspects of life.

The exhibits were drawn primarily from the Asian Collections in the Wellcome Library, one of the major resources of manuscripts, printed books and pictorial material relating to Asia. This collection is largely due to the vision and enthusiasm of the American-born pharmacist and philanthropist Sir Henry Wellcome (1853-1936), whose remarkable legacy formed the cornerstone of the exhibition.