The Institute of Sexology

A candid exploration of the study of sex, showcasing more than 200 rare documents and works of art, erotica, film and photography. The Institute of Sexology explores the most publicly discussed of private acts: sex. From Victorian collections of erotica to cutting-edge contemporary science, this book investigates how sex research has shaped our attitudes towards sexual behaviour and identity. It tells this complex story through six chapters,each of which focuses on different sex research pioneers, including Magnus Hirschfeld, Sigmund Freud, Marie Stopes, Alfred Kinsey, Margaret Mead, and Masters and Johnson. In addition to historic artefacts, these sections feature work from contemporary artists John Stezaker, Carolee Schneeman, Zanele Muholi, Sharon Hayes, Paul Ryan and Timothy Archibald. The book also includes new texts from Shereen El Feki, Alyce Mahon, Christopher Turner, Katherine Angel, and John and Cynthia Bancroft, as well as interviews with artists and scientists.Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of intriguing images, this book will provide a rich resource for science, art and sex enthusiasts everywhere! Accompanies the exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London.