Our obsession with beauty isn’t quite the 21st-century phenomenon we might think. Defining who and what is “beautiful” has plagued philosophers, mathematicians, scientists and mere mortals for centuries. Our current beauty standards are the culmination of age-old beliefs that date back to prehistory, and can then be seen in ancient rituals such as the Egyptian use of kohl as a spiritual tool to ward off “the evil eye”.
The Cult of Beauty, a fascinating new exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London, explores the concept in all its glorious and insidious guises, examining cultures and eras through a colossal 200 objects, installations and artworks that show how beauty connects with our everyday lives.
