Week 6: Biotech + Art

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In recent history, the intersection of biotechnology and art has become increasingly intertwined. As noted by Professor Vesna, artists have always been interested in nature and the human body so it was only a matter of time until they entered the laboratory. Biotechnology as a whole and its relation to art is considered highly controversial and provokes the question of what is ethical and unethical. The concept of mixing biotechnology and art, according to Professor Vesna, was pioneered by Joe Davis. Joe Davis created a number of fascinating bio-artworks such as the Microvenus. With the help of geneticist Dan Boyd, Davis encoded the external female genitalia into E. coli bacterium's code to symbolize femininity (Cell Press).
Joe Davis' Microvenus. Genetics and Culture.

Biotechnology and art is not limited to bacterium; experiments and artworks have been crafted using animals as well. For example, Eduardo Kac inserted genes from a fluorescent jellyfish into an albino bunny to create a "GFP Bunny". Scientists used cycled microinjection to insert the Aequorea Victoria jellyfish genes into a fertilized rabbit egg to develop Alba, the fluorescent bunny (Vesna, Lecture).The use of animals for biotechnological art is even more controversial than with bacterium. This raises the question of whether or not artists dealing with living organisms like Alba should be held to a different standard than organisms like bacterium? 
Jellyfish GFP. Zeiss.


Personally, I am not sure whether or not there should be different standards for artists in regards to their work in bioart. I think there should be a limit on human creativity if the creativity incurs physical or emotional harm to another living organism. However, this being said, it can be difficult to definitively determine whether or not a living organism is experiencing physical or emotional pain.
Animals (including Alba) injected with GFP.




References:
CellPressNews. (2015, November 23). Bioart: An introduction. Retrieved from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/cp-bai112315.php

Kac, E. (n.d.). GFP Bunny. Retrieved from http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor

Levy, Ellen. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.”

Vesna, V. (2019). Art and Biotechnology Part I. [Video Lecture]. Retrieved from https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/1067208/pages/unit-2-view?module_item_id=26086622.
Vesna, V. (2019). Art and Biotechnology Part II. [Video Lecture]. Retrieved from https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/1067208/pages/unit-2-view?module_item_id=26086622.

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