Open until December, the new Tranzit Group Social History Gallery exhibition has got people talking.
The exhibition explores 40 day to day inventions and the fascinating histories behind them.
Becky Bateman, the exhibition coordinator, explains that we are surrounded by inventions in our daily lives, but some have had more impact on the world than we might realise.
“This exhibition looks at inventions that have had major social, cultural and environmental impacts which have significantly changed how we live today,” she says. “Every invention has positive and negative impacts on the world, and this exhibition asks which have had the most impact and why.”
Bateman chose the 40 objects carefully, but she says some people might not class particular objects as inventions.
“I wanted to challenge what people thought of when they think of an invention,” she says. “Inventions aren’t always mechanical or technological.”
From the invention of sugar to the Walkman, domestication of horses to high heels the exhibition delves into the history of these objects and how they have changed the world for better… or worse.
“Every invention has a cost – whether it’s environmental, financial or social, so it was important for me to add these negative factors in,” says Bateman.
Visitors are also asked to vote on their favourite invention and play the game What Came First with a group of objects.
“It’s fun to think about when in time these inventions first appear,” Becky continues. “Some of the inventions are surprisingly old with histories going back to ancient civilizations, while others are relatively recent.”
Patented- Inventions that Changed the World, is showing at Aratoi until 6 December.
