An image of Clara Thompson in Victorian London during the cholera outbreak of 1854, near the infamous Broad Street water pump.
Anna Dumitriu and Alex May are collaborating with scientists to explore novel research to improve infection prevention and control in hospitals using AI. The artists are exploring how new AI infection prevention systems work by applying it to an AI-expanded historic data set based on John Snow’s research on the 1854 Cholera outbreak in Broad Street, London, considered to be the first epidemiological study ever conducted.
The artists are in the process of fabricating a detailed data set using AI tools, and simulations that bring the Broad Street outbreak to life to see if modern AI could have helped stop the outbreak sooner, or even prevented it from ever happening.
Anna Dumitriu has created a series of portraits based on historic data from Snow’s book “On the Mode of Communication of Cholera”, expanded on using Chat GPT 4.0 to create an image prompt in Midjourney and upscaled using Topaz.
Clara Thompson – AI Prompt
A photorealistic image of a person named Clara Thompson in Victorian London during the cholera outbreak of 1854, near the infamous Broad Street water pump. Clara is a 35-year-old woman, dressed in modest, worn clothing typical of the working class—a faded dress with a high neckline, a tattered shawl draped over her shoulders, and worn-out boots. Her face is drawn and tired, with dark circles under her eyes and a look of concern and exhaustion. Her hair is pulled back into a simple, unkempt bun.
Clara is standing in the foggy, grimy streets of London, her posture slightly hunched as she clutches a small bundle of possessions or perhaps a child in her arms. The Broad Street water pump looms ominously in the background, its design partially obscured by the thick fog and the mist that hangs heavy in the air.
The cobblestone street is damp and littered with refuse, reflecting the bleak and unsanitary conditions of the time. The surrounding buildings are old, weathered, and in disrepair, contributing to the somber atmosphere. The lighting is dim and cool, with muted gray and brown tones dominating the scene, emphasizing the harsh reality of life during the cholera outbreak. The image captures Clara Thompson’s struggle and vulnerability amidst the deadly epidemic, highlighting the contrast between her dire circumstances and the threat posed by the outbreak.