Dear Joanne,

Why not use front-end evaluation of your "shocking" images, and see how
your visitors/desired audiences react.

I'm sure Ben can help here.

My only experience is with images that were not pretested and were found
to mean very different things than the desigerns originally intended.

There is a small amount of literature on controversial exhibition and
controversial issues available. Contact me offline for assistance finding
it.

Sincerely,

Leslie Munro.

Joanne Quinton-Tulloch wrote:
>
> Has anyone had any experience of, or know of any research done on the use
> of controversial or shocking images in exhibitions?
>
> We are considering the use of large, controversial, maybe shocking images
> as a hook into exhibitions about contemporary science. There is however the
> possibility that the disgust/horror they might invoke could have the
> opposite effect, and drive our visitors, especially family audiences away.
> I'd welcome any thoughts, comments or direct experience anyone has of this.
>
> Many thanks
> Jo
>
> Jo Quinton-Tulloch                              Tel: 0171 938 8098
> Wellcome Wing Exhibition Development Group      Fax: 0171 938 9775
> Science Museum
> London  SW7 2DD