Every Picture Tells a Story
Looking to the Light
Edible Histories is an art project that took place part as part of the Bristol 650 celebrations. Five objects that tell the story of Bristol were selected from Aerospace Bristol, Bristol Zoo Project, Tyntesfield, Glenside Hospital Museum and M-shed.
1-2m sized replicas of the objects were then created in fairly traded chocolate by the award-winning Bristol chocolatier Zara’s Chocolates – wrapped in gold foil and displayed with the original pieces across the city. The chocolate button took over 100 hours for the brilliant Zara’s Chocolates team to make.
Luke Jerram's Edible Histories at Glenside Hospital Museum
Luke Jerram with his Museum of the Moon artwork
About the Artist
Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live art projects.
Living in the UK but working internationally since 1997, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the world.
Since his career began Luke Jerram has had over 900 exhibitions around the world.
Bristolians may recognise his work from such installations in the city as:
- Palm Temple, a permanent art sculpture at Bristol University's School of Chemistry
- Gaia, the earth replica featured at Bristol Cathedral
- Play Me, I'm Yours, the pianos placed in public spaces
- Park and Slide, the water slide on Park Street in 2014
A giant replica
The original button from Glenside Hospital Museum’s collection was displayed next to the Edible Histories giant chocolate button. 100 times smaller, it represents the thousands of patients who received care at Glenside.
Brass embossed buttons with Bristol Borough Asylum stamped onto them would have been stitched onto clean robust clothes made for patients to provide them with suitable clothing to work within the hospital. Bristol’s purpose built asylum was completed in 1861.
Giant button being created at Zara's Chocolates
Under construction at Zara's Chocolates
A creative collaboration with Southville-based chocolatiers
The art project had the backing of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, who celebrated the 150th anniversary of the chocolate Easter egg we all know and love – first produced in Bristol by J.S. Fry and Sons (known locally as Fry's Chocolates) back in 1873.
Visit Us
Glenside Hospital Museum is located within the grounds of the old psychiatric hospital housed in the 1881 Grade II listed asylum church. The main hospital building is now used by the University of West of England as their Health and Social Care Campus. We’re in situated in the Grade II listed church just inside the grounds. For more details, including group booking and accessibility, please see our visiting page.
"If you have never been to Glenside Hospital Museum, it is a wonderful museum. It is not gloomy or depressing but fascinating and hopeful. A really progressive institution."
Julie Begen
"A fabulous history of the area, the hospitals, and of approaches to mental health and learning disabilities. An amazing array of artefacts, surgical instruments and ephemera. The staff were really welcoming and knowledgeable. Absolutely loved it!"
Lea Roberts
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