The Deadly Six - Oxford's Battle with the Microbial World
Six sculptures by Scottish artist Angela Palmer created to mark the 30th anniversary of the Oxford Vaccine Group
The sculptures, woven by expert basket makers and willow weavers Jenny Crisp, Issy Wilkes and Mel Bastier, represent several of the most important vaccines in which the Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG) played a key role, including those for malaria, Ebola, typhoid, pneumonia, meningitis, and the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The work was commissioned by Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of OVG, to mark the anniversary in September 2024.
Each sculpture is made from willow, a tree native to the UK and a material imbued with historical medicinal associations dating back over 3,500 years. To create the pieces, Palmer worked closely with the weavers, who interpreted the forms from scientific drawings, electron microscope images and sketches.
