HeLa, 2006
Since the 1950’s, HeLa cells are used in medical and biology labs as a reference for in vitro human cell culture in view of developing different treatments, e.g. for polio or for some types of cancer. These cells helped to save a great number of lives.
All HeLa cells derive from the same sample taken in 1951 from a Baltimore patient called Henrietta Lacks, whose name was kept secret for a long time. The installation addresses the strange post-mortem destiny of this woman, whose cells survived and proliferated throughout the world since her death at 31.