Bioart is an art form that intertwines the beauty of art with biology, using live cells and unique chemical processes as a medium. This movement advances the traditional boundaries of art and opens new dialogues about our relationship with the world around us.
At its core, bioart is the is the creation of art through the manipulation of biological processes and living materials. This includes working with living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, tissues, and images or data from biomedical research. Gaining traction in the last several decades, bioart dates back to the early 1900s to a revolutionary scientist. Before he discovered penicillin, Alexander Fleming was more than a scientist – he was an artist. Unlike other painters, however, he painted with microbes. Using paper soaked in culture medium, he inoculated different species of microbes that had different colours to create images of whatever occurred to him such as soldiers, ballerinas, and houses. Obsessed with discovering new strains of bacteria with different colours, he continued to collect unique microbes, ultimately leading to his Nobel Prize winning discovery of penicillin as well as the lysozyme.
Fleming’s germ art continues to this day, giving rise to bioart competitions such as the American Society for Microbiology Agar Art Contest. Evolving beyond agar on petri dishes, bioartists use a plethora of scientific techniques to create art using aquatic organisms, bioluminescent bacteria, slime mold, and even genetically modified organisms. The art form now extends further to innovative techniques such as cultivating bacteria on film negatives by Erno-Erik Raitanen and the use of in vitro culture of mammalian cells in bioreactors by Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr.
In our modern era, many view the concepts of art and science as divided, separate entities with contrasting approaches to explaining life. Science has a reputation of being technical, structured, and complex while art is viewed as an emotional and sensory experience. Despite these perceived differences, both fields emerged from a need to understand and explain how the world works, our relationship with the world, and the meaning of life. As we continue to push the boundaries between art and science, bioart instigates critical conversations about the implications of biotechnology, long-term consequences of manipulating our environment, and scientific ethics.
In his artwork aptly titled “GFP Bunny,” Eduardo Kac genetically engineered an albino rabbit to glow bright green when exposed to blue light. First presented in 2000, this transgenic artwork is more than just the rabbit or the visual aesthetics; this work challenges the traditional notion of art to incorporate dialogue on the societal perception of genetics, the ethical implications of genetic modification, and the concept of normalcy in our culture.
However, one may question the ethics of bioart itself for engaging in scientific experimentations and mammalian alterations. In the purely scientific context, these alterations can be interpreted as “playing God.” However, some artists contend that bioart is a medium that merges scientific concepts with aesthetics to convey messages, elicit reactions, and incite discussion. In 2000, artist Marta de Menezes collaborated with a scientist, Paul Brakefield, to modify the wing patterns of butterfly through small physical wounds on the wing discs of the caterpillar. The intent was to explore the differences between natural and artificial features. In 2002, Brandon Ballengée and scientist Stanley Sessions generated frogs with malformed limbs, with the intent to grow awareness of environmental issues. Both these examples highlight the neglect in care, responsibility, and long-term consequences of these manipulated creatures afterwards and whether these manipulations were necessary to begin with. For example, Kathy High’s work “Embracing Animal” in 2005 involved the care of retired breeding rats originally genetically engineered to study autoimmunity, demonstrating the possibility of self-expression without irreparable damage to lifeforms. Inarguably, the public display of bioart engages a wider audience in cultural discourse on the impact and ethics of advancing science.
Some bioartists have even taken to modifying their own body for their creations. Stelarc is an Australian performance artist who explores the integration of our physical form with technology. Using his own body as the medium, Stelarc has centered his work around medical prosthetics, capturing attention for his “Ear on Arm” – the surgical implantation of an ear constructed with porous polyethylene on his own forearm. The artwork has incited discussion of the ethics of carrying out clinically unnecessary procedures. Already controversial, Stelarc unsuccessfully attempted the implantation of a microphone in the ear, resulting in infection and removal. Undeterred, Stelarc continues to be driven by the concept that we’ve evolved beyond our bodily architecture, challenging the physical limits of the human body and the definition of being human.
Technology continues to advance, shaping our interaction with the world, changing our perception of reality, and influencing society at all levels. Bioart not only questions the intersection of nature and technology but amplifies public debates and scientific dissemination. These fascinating – and perhaps jarring – pieces of artwork cross boundaries to remind us to consider important questions and challenge traditional notions that may limit our viewpoint as our world continues to evolve.
Ling Ling Tai
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