London’s newest visitor attraction is a gore fest that revels in the murder and mayhem of serial killers. Last week an exhibition opened in London that will definitely divide opinion, not only because of its provocative subject matter and graphic content, but for what it says about you, me, and us. Titled "Serial Killer", the extensive exhibition will either be seen as a thought-provoking investigation into the motivations and actions of some of humankind’s most brutal killers, or, a ghoulish celebration of the crimes of damaged and deranged individuals who brought untold terror and horror to families and communities.
All the big names are there: Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dahmer, Dennis Nilsen, and perhaps most disturbingly, English nurse Lucy Letby, who was convicted of murdering seven babies last year. Goodness only knows how the families of her victims feel about her being immortalised in this way. Original artefacts, a lock of Bundy’s hair, Jeffrey Dahmer’s glasses, letters and artwork from prison cells, sit in glass cases – important relics that must be preserved and protected.
Reconstructions of murder scenes, complete with bloody mattresses, bodies wrapped in plastic bags, a fridge containing body parts, and the pots used to boil human remains, are presented for the viewing public. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like a bit of true crime from time to time. I even made the effort to find out more about Ted Bundy’s crimes.
The little I k.