Unit 6: Biotech + Art
Like what Professor Vesna stated in her lecture this week, biotech + art is definitely a controversial topic. It questions ethics, limitations on human creativity, standards of manipulating living organisms for art.
One example from the lecture part 1 video was the albino bunny that had genes from a fluorescent jellyfish inserted and was used as Eduardo's art piece. Scientists conducted this by using a process called cycled microinjection where they plucked a fluorescent protein from the jellyfish called kwara victoria. They manipulated the the gene (called EGF) to make the glow twice as powerful and inserted this to a fertilized rabbit egg cell which eventually grew into Alba (rabbit). As the cells divided, the green gene was also replicated and was spread into every cell of the rabbit's body. Similar case study was done with mice in Tokyo 1997 to be used as animal models for studying biological processes and diseases. Ever since then, scientists and artists began to use this fluorescent protein as a tool in contemporary art and bioscience.
Closely, artist Marta Diminezas part of Symbiotica created her first biological artwork by modifying the wing patterns of live butterflies to create a certain wing shape and style she wanted. Some butterflies turned out with holes or circular marks on their wings and freaked out spectators who followed up on her artworks.
Personally, I feel like there must be a boundary between the use of living organisms for art. Although creativity is welcomed, using living organisms and modifying their genes to create a desirable art piece is ethically wrong. I believe these are the reasons why the intertwining of biotech and art is so controversial and concerning to many. There must be limitations when it comes to using biological creatures for art because I would never want my pet bunny to turn bright green for aesthetic purposes.
Kac, Eduardo. "GFP Bunny." GFP BUNNY. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2017.
UC Television. "Animal Biotechnology." YouTube. YouTube, 25 July 2008. Web. 12 May 2017.
Vesna, Victoria. “5-bioart-pt1-1280x720.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube. 18 September 2013. Web. 11 May 2017.
One example from the lecture part 1 video was the albino bunny that had genes from a fluorescent jellyfish inserted and was used as Eduardo's art piece. Scientists conducted this by using a process called cycled microinjection where they plucked a fluorescent protein from the jellyfish called kwara victoria. They manipulated the the gene (called EGF) to make the glow twice as powerful and inserted this to a fertilized rabbit egg cell which eventually grew into Alba (rabbit). As the cells divided, the green gene was also replicated and was spread into every cell of the rabbit's body. Similar case study was done with mice in Tokyo 1997 to be used as animal models for studying biological processes and diseases. Ever since then, scientists and artists began to use this fluorescent protein as a tool in contemporary art and bioscience.Closely, artist Marta Diminezas part of Symbiotica created her first biological artwork by modifying the wing patterns of live butterflies to create a certain wing shape and style she wanted. Some butterflies turned out with holes or circular marks on their wings and freaked out spectators who followed up on her artworks.
Kac, Eduardo. "GFP Bunny." GFP BUNNY. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2017.
UC Television. "Animal Biotechnology." YouTube. YouTube, 25 July 2008. Web. 12 May 2017.
Vesna, Victoria. “5-bioart-pt1-1280x720.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube. 18 September 2013. Web. 11 May 2017.
Vesna, Victoria. “5-BioArt-pt-2.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube. 17 May 2012. Web. 11 May 2017.
Vesna, Victoria. “5-BioArt-pt3.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube. 17 May 2012. Web. 11 May 2017.
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