When thinking about works of art, science may be the complete opposite of what comes to mind. But bio-art, a genre of art categorized by its avant-garde methods of displaying life, is bridging the gap between these two seemingly unrelated areas. Often, these artists collaborate with scientists and labs to express beauty or provoke thought through biotechnology, using techniques such as cell culturing and genomic editing to create art.
One of the earlier and most impactful pieces of bio-art was Eduardo Kac’s GFP Bunny, which was a rabbit by the name of Alba who glowed green through the use of genetic engineering. In order for Alba to be created, Kac worked with a biological research laboratory. This prompted questions about where the credit was due and how the life forms used are treated, not only for GFP Bunny but also for other major works of bio-art that require collaboration between different fields. This work has sparked much dialogue on the ethics and moral implications of bio-art and has been referenced in shows such as Big Bang Theory, the Simpsons, and Sherlock.
Another prominent bio-art piece is a work titled Victimless Leather, created by artists and researchers Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr. Both artists were research fellows at Harvard Medical School before turning their attention to bio-art. In this piece, cell lines are used to culture tissue on a jacket shaped polymer matrix, a process very similar to the way that artificial organs are grown. The work is meant to explore the potential consequences of using biotechnology for commercial purposes and prompt reflection on the sources of the clothes we wear. Among Catts and Zurr’s other innovative bio-art pieces are Semi-living Worry Dolls, Better Dead Than Dying, and Stir Fly: Nutrient Bug 1.0.
With many works of bio-art comes discussion about its ethics. Should any form of life be used in art? Where do we draw the line when it comes to using life in art? Is bio-art taking away from resources that could be used to further biomedical research? Certainly an argument can be made in favor of bio-art because it can draw attention to existing biological controversies like animal testing, genomic editing, and cell culturing (although, on the other hand, this could be done through other mediums.) Bio-art may have the capability to increase public awareness of what goes on in biological research laboratories, but some may believe that this form of art often feeds into what its artists are supposedly fighting against.
While the ethics of bio-art remain a big question, this relatively new form of art has been connecting society with research laboratories through the creation of what could be considered emotional, shocking, and even disgusting projects. At its most basic level, bio-art is about not only aesthetics, but also provoking discussion and thought surrounding difficult but important topics.
References
GFP bunny. (n.d.). https://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html
Victimless Leather. The Tissue Culture & Art Project. (n.d.). https://tcaproject.net/portfolio/victimless-leather/
What is Bio Art?. ARTDEX. (n.d.). https://www.artdex.com/what-is-bio-art/