BioTech + Art

Marta Demenezes perfectly tied together this week’s topics– the idea of the self and the non-self in the perspective of art and biology. As she notes, art is never meant to be purely didactic in any way, but rather about being interpretative (Demenezes). She emphasized the importance of repositioning and questioning things that have been taken for granted, and issues that we find important (Demenezes). Although art is not necessarily good at explaining why and how things happen, art helps us generate questions and serves as the tool to put those questions forward, which can sometimes be even more effective at helping us see new perspectives and points of view. 

Different viewpoints of the same shape



Eduardo Kac’s Alba Bunny, a bunny created with a synthetic mutation of a green fluorescent gene found in jellyfish (Rojahn), serves to highlight the genetically unique bunny as a social entity rather than a biological one (Vesna). He emphasizes the importance of open discussion on the notions of hybridity vs. normalcy to better understand the “intertwined relationship between genetics, organism, and environment.” (Kac)

Alba by Eduardo Kac



Orlan’s Harlequin biotechnological coat symbolizes hybridization and cultural cross-breeding (Vesna). She used this coat as a metaphor for multicultural identity and questioned different cultural ideas of beauty, as well as the concept of self-ownership at a micro and macro level. 


Harlequin Coat by Orlan


Despite the controversies, artists like Kac and Orlan were successful at encouraging discourse through their work and artistic expressions by bringing biotechnology out of the labs into the public for a general audience. Artists and scientists should not only consider the costs and ethical implications of conducting biological experiments, but they should also analyze the costs of failing to do so. The benefits of understanding natural systems (and the identities of individuals and living things) continue to motivate the interconnection between biological research and art. As research methodologies advance with modern technology, it is important to approach transgenic art with great care and caution, taking into account the complex issues raised by the transfer of genes to living organisms. 




References


“A Different Viewpoint PO.” Digital Image. Line. Web. https://line.17qq.com/articles/chdknpkcov_p6.html


Demenezes, Marta. “The Self and the Non-Self: Losing Yourself Through Immortality and Rejection.” Lecture. CoLE DESMA 9. 3 May. 2021. Web.


Kac, Eduardo. “GFP Bunny.” KAC. 2018. Web. http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor


“ORLAN AAKA ORLAN.” Digital Image. Prometeo Gallery. Web. http://www.prometeogallery.com/en/mostra/orlan-aaka-orlan


Rojahn, Susan. “Glow-in-the-Dark Rabbits.” 14 August. 2013. Web. https://www.technologyreview.com/2013/08/14/15454/glow-in-the-dark-rabbits/


“Transgenic bunny by Eduardo Kac.” Digital Image. Genome News Network. Web. http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml


Vesna, Victoria. “5 bioart pt1.” BioTech + Art. 19 September. 2013. Lecture.


Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt2.” BioTech + Art. 18 May. 2012. Lecture.

Comments

  1. ChrisMay 6, 2021 at 12:22 PM

    Hey Sarah, I really like the pieces of biotech artwork that you chose to explore in your blog. I found the biotech coat to be especially interesting. It really makes you think about where the line is drawn from artistic expression to practical appliance to every day life. Would you wear that coat?

    ReplyDelete

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