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Week 6: BioTech + Art

    This weeks topic is on BioTech and Art. This is one very interesting topic because it combines art with biotechnology. Some current topics such as designer babies can be seen as somewhat biotechnology with art which can cause questions of ethics. In particular, Molly Renda and William H. Dodge corn maze struck my eye. "It viewed not analytical and speculative perspectives and projected never ending possibilities of art" (Renda, Dodge 2019) I thought this was particularly interesting because mazes are only artistic or shown by a pattern from an aerial view. This can be seen as ethical. Biotechnology is different than other art forms, it is physically alive. Bio-artists can be seen as scientists, they spend as much time in the lab as they do in the studio (Miranda 2013). I guess that would be the only thing separating these types of artists, living tools vs objective tools.
Dodge, William. Renda, Molly. "Corn Maze" Art 2020
Chin, "Mel Revival Field" Melchin 1991. Sourced from: http://melchin.org/oeuvre/revival-field/
    Similar to the corn maze, "Revival Field was used to hazard off hazardous waste and its purpose was to extract hazardous metals from contaminated soil" (Mel Chin 1990). This is an example of a productive type of bio-art. Also in particular, I thought the Phylogenic Tree of Drosophila was very interesting. It showed a natural parasite's interaction between a fly (Drosophila) and a bacteria that protects flies from other infections (Wolbachia) and the reaction between (Teixeira 2020). One other piece that I thought was very interesting was the DNA Fingerprint. Although we have heard of DNA finger prints, it has never been used in art like the Suspect Inversion Center, "They used technology and DNA fingerprint to form aesthetically pleasing photos" (Vanouse 2011). This was an example of life being a medium. It can be visually pleasing in the most simple yet complex form, DNA.
   


Demenzes, Marta "The Origin of Species - Post Evolution - Drosophila / Wolbachia" 2021 Sourced                                                                 from: https://martademenezes.com/art/evolution/the-origin-of-species-post-evolution-drosophila-wolbachia/




Vanouse, Paul. "Suspect Inversion Center" Paul Vanouse 2011 Sourced from: http://www.paulvanouse.com/sic.html




References


Chin, "Mel Revival Field" Melchin 1991. Sourced from: http://melchin.org/oeuvre/revival-field/

Dodge, William. Renda, Molly. "Corn Maze" Art 2020

Demenzes, Marta "The Origin of Species - Post Evolution - Drosophila / Wolbachia" 2021 Sourced                                                                 from: https://martademenezes.com/art/evolution/the-origin-of-species-post-evolution-drosophila-wolbachia/

Fleerackers, Alice. "Art Works In The Age of Biology" Polyfield Magazine 2020. Sourced from:                                             https://artthescience.com/magazine/2020/01/07/works-arts-work-biotechnology/

Miranda, Carolina “Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art" Art News 2013. Sourced                                                                 from:https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/biotechnology-as-art-form-2184/
Vanouse, Paul. "Suspect Inversion Center" Paul Vanouse 2011 Sourced from: http://www.paulvanouse.com/sic.html

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