People today may be squeamish about blood, but in the medieval world “Hemo the Magnificent” (that’s a movie they used to show to kids in grade school) flowed through written and visual culture—medicine, literature, theology, and art. More recently it’s been the common ground for various cultural conversations on HIV/AIDS, on DNA and genetic science. This exhibition explores the theme of blood—less an element than a mixture (cells, proteins, and plasma)—through works that date from the 13th century to the present day. —Elena Clavarino