Week 4: BioTech+Art

       “What is life and what does it mean when we manipulate life?” In the lecture, Professor Vesna brought up this question that the Bio artists like Joe Davis were trying to draw attention and answer to. I strongly agree with that this question is critical to the highly technologically advanced human society nowadays. Just like what Ellen K. Levy talked about in her article “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications”, “The artistic probing of what judgments underlie acts of categorization and basic philosophic questions about kinship relations and property come at a time when new kinds of life-forms are being fashioned.”

       In the lectures and course materials, many artists who make such artistic approaches to shed lights on the current technology. I was impressed with Eduardo Kac and his work GFP Bunny. In his report, he said that “above all, with a commitment to respect, nurture, and love the life thus created“ could the transgenic art be successful. To him, the GFP Bunny is not merely a lab result but more like the art work which he gave birth to. 

       However, artists and scientists are aware that the development of biotechnology is a double-edged sword: while it can be used to cure diseases and create unique artworks, it can also be “hacked” and misused. Artists like Paul Vanouse try to promote the concept and knowledge about biotech to the mass in order to push the entire society forward to catch the pace of the biotech development. After all, only by understanding and being able to rationally considering a thing can people utilize it in the right way. And I think this is why the bio artists are driven to do whatever they are doing: to help the scientist, to “decode” the complicated science in their own ways. 

Bibliography

Sources

Vesna, Victoria. "BioTech+Art | Lectures." Web.
     <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=9092406>.

Levy, Ellen K. "Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications." Web.

     <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-6-agenda?module_item_id=9092405>.

Dobrila, Peter T. and Kostic, Aleksandra. "GFP Bunny." Telepresence, Biotelematics, and Transgenic 

     Art. Eduardo Kac. 2000. Web. <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor>.

Kelty, Chris. "Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?" Web.

     <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-6-agenda?module_item_id=9092405>.

Vanouse, Paul. "Suspect Inversion Center (SIC)." Web.

     <http://www.paulvanouse.com/sic.html>.

Images

Vesna, Victoria. "BioTech+Art | Lectures." Web.
     <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=9092406>.

Dobrila, Peter T. and Kostic, Aleksandra. "GFP Bunny." Telepresence, Biotelematics, and Transgenic 

     Art. Eduardo Kac. 2000. Web. <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor>.

Vanouse, Paul. "Suspect Inversion Center (SIC)." Web.

     <http://www.paulvanouse.com/sic.html>.