Week 6 - Biotech+Art

“Biotech and Art” has always been a highly controversial artform. Perhaps the most debated type is transgenic art. “Transgenic art, I propose, is a new art form based on the use of genetic engineering techniques to transfer synthetic genes to an organism or to transfer natural genetic material from one species into another, to create unique living beings” (Kac). A famous piece of transgenic art would be Alba, a transgenic albino rabbit. She was created by French scientists who injected jellyfish protein into the fertilised egg of an albino rabbit. According to Penny Tilton’s “Transgenic a new form of animal cruelty”, transgenic animals “have fewer rights than an animal born from nature, so a human can use them and dispose of them just like their fast food containers that are empty” (Tilton). As a strong supporter of animal rights, I have always rejected makeup that used animal testing and therefore oppose the use of transgenic animals. 

Glow-in-the-dark Rabbits at the University of Hawaii
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/08/12/glow-in-the-dark-rabbit-clones_n_3742240.html

However, I do understand the benefits of biotech+art. For example, according to an article by Organic Consumers Association, “genetically modified potatoes that glow when they need watering have been developed by scientists”. This invention was inspired by Alba and created a lot of controversy as the public was worried about the possible health implications from ingesting GM food. Farmers welcomed the idea as it would be able to help them produce a greater supply of crops. 

Glow-in-the-dark POTATO!!!!
http://www.foodtechsource.com/emag/015/gadgets.htm

One biotech+art project that really inspires me is the “Paradox”. As explained in “Art and Biotechnology: When art looks into science”, “Natalie Jeremijenko- an artist and engineer- with the help of experts, clones a walnut variety called “Paradox” a thousand times over in order to plant the cloned plantlets in different locations around Sans Francisco”. The scientist argued that since the plants are genetically identical, their differences in growth will show the social and environmental differences that they are exposed to. This drew public attention to the natural environment and the climate change. 

Natalie Jeremijenko
http://salon.seedmagazine.com/salon_profile_jeremijenko.html

In conclusion, I believe what Neal Overstrom stated in “Science and Art: Why Choose? A Biotech Entrepreneur’s Dual Life” sums up the relationship between biotechnology and art: “Both science and art are grounded in deep observation. Piece by piece, our scientific colleagues get a different sense, of maybe there are other ways of looking at this, of seeing patterns.”

References:

Gkoutzioulli, Katerina. "Art and Biotechnology: When Art Looks into Science." The Rest Is Art: Art and Art-icles. The Rest Is Art, 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 07 May 2015. <https://therestisart.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/art-and-biotechnology-when-art-looks-into-science/>.

Kac, Eduardo. "Eduardo Kac - Transgenic Art." Eduardo Kac - Transgenic Art. University of Chicago, 11 July 2001. Web. 07 May 2015. <http://www.uoc.edu/artnodes/espai/eng/art/kak1101/kak1101.html>.

"Potatoes with Jellyfish Gene Glow When Thirsty." Potatoes with Jellyfish Gene Glow When Thirsty. Organic Consumers Assocation, 18 Dec. 2000. Web. 07 May 2015. <https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/gefood/glowingpotato.php>.

Tansey, Bernadette. "Science and Art: Why Choose? A Biotech Entrepreneur's Dual Life | Xconomy." Xconomy RSS. Xconomy, 21 May 2014. Web. 07 May 2015. <http://www.xconomy.com/san-francisco/2014/05/21/science-and-art-why-choose-a-biotech-entrepreneurs-dual-life/>.

Tilton, Penny. "Transgenic a New Form of Animal Cruelty." Examiner.com. Examiner, 22 May 2012. Web. 07 May 2015. <http://www.examiner.com/article/transgenic-a-new-form-of-animal-cruelty>.