This week's materials delve into the collision between biotechnology and art and the multitude of ways to change our perception of reality through deep imagination and technological advances.
 |
| BioScientist working in Lab, Courtesy of Marta De Menezes |
I was drawn to the writing by Ellen K. Levy regarding the classification of life, and how much it mirrors the current conundrum we are facing regarding classifying biotechnology within current life forms. Levy argues that by assigning and classifying life forms into arbitrary categories we are creating a specific and narrow point of view that doesn't fully encompass the uniqueness of each individual entity. I found this to be fascinating because with my scientific background I am well versed in the desire to categorize and group together seemingly similar ideas to better process the information, however I never thought how in doing so I was restricting the individualistic properties from shining through. This idea really highlights the importance of an artist's perspective to reimagine these arbitrary labels and work to redefine and appreciate the differences within our creations.
 |
| Bionic Assistive Technology, Courtesy of VENKAT |
The various designs explored throughout our lecture videos by Professor Vesna really opened my eyes to the direct interconnection between biotechnology and art, specifically how these seemingly strictly medical procedures were imagined by artists, and the combination of both disciplines were required for any of these experiments to come to fruition. Artists can truly think outside the box and what it means to manipulate life and view life as an expressive medium. Experiments including Eduardo Kac’s GFP Bunny & Marta De Menezes Butterfly wing manipulation would not have been possible without the creativity and determination of the artists and the information and technology provided from scientists. These experiments also highlight the importance of pushing the boundaries on living organisms to experience what else is possible to achieve with a combination of modern technology and creative gusto.
 |
| Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny, Courtesy of New Scientist |
Sources:
Biotechnology. https://www.usda.gov/topics/biotechnology. Accessed 5 May 2022.
Kac, Eduardo. “GFP Bunny.” GFP Bunny, http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html.
Levy, Ellen K.. “Defining Life. Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” 5 May 2022, UCLA, Bruinlearn.
Marta de Menezes. https://martademenezes.com/. Accessed 5 May 2022.
Planet of the Apes (1968) - IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063442/. Accessed 5 May 2022.
Proteic Portrait – Marta de Menezes. https://martademenezes.com/art/portraits/proteic-portrait/. Accessed 5 May 2022.
VENKAT. “The Bionic Body: Breakthrough Transplantation Devices.” Assistive Technology Blog, 23 Oct. 2017, https://assistivetechnologyblog.com/2017/10/bionic-body.html.
Vesna, Victoria. "5 BioArt pt2" DESMA 9, 2 May 2022, UCLA, Bruinlearn, Unit 6
Young, Emma. Mutant Bunny | New Scientist. 22 Sept. 2000, https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16-mutant-bunny/.
No comments:
Post a Comment