This week we went over an artists ability to connect art to biotechnology. Biotechnology utilizes biology in order to develop new technologies and products that could possibly improve our way of living (BIO). An artist's interest in nature is what sparks the motivation to create BioArt. BioArt can be defined as a hybrid of both biotech and art. BioArt combines scientific experimentation with an artists ability to express themselves. An artists palette has been able to expand due to the advances in technology and their interest in nature. BioArt has allowed artists to collaborate with scientists and turn laboratories into art studios (Vesna).
An example of BioArt that grabbed my attention this week was Marta De Menezes’ “Nature?” project. In this piece, Marta altered the pattern of a butterfly's wings to create one that had never been seen in nature. She described her piece as “art with a lifespan” since the unnatural wings were incapable of being passed down to offspring. Because the wings weren’t genetically modified, this butterfly would not be able to pass them down to offspring, making it one of a kind (De Menezes). The art would die with that butterfly. This artwork however sparked major controversy because the butterfly wings that were modified ended up having holes in them which made people feel uneasy since the butterfly was alive.
As I try to type this out I am unsure if there should be more restrictions for either artists or scientists using biotechnology because I keep contradicting myself. In my opinion, I believe that artists should be more restricted when it comes to biologically modifying animals as a form of creating art because it can cause damage just like Marta De Menezes’ “Nature?” did. However, throughout history scientists have caused harm to animals when conducting experiments. Thinking about restrictions has allowed me to feel Levy’s perspective even more. I need to admire the contributions artists have made on the concept of life. Reconsidering my assumption on the definition of life can help me view BioArt in a different perspective (Levy).
Works Cited
De Menezes, Marta. “Nature?” Marta de Menezes, martademenezes.com/art/nature/nature/. Accessed 11 May 2023.
BIO. “What Is Biotechnology?” Biotechnology Innovation Orgnization, www.bio.org/what-biotechnology#:~:text=At%20its%20simplest%2C%20biotechnology%20is,the%20health%20of%20our%20planet. Accessed 11 May 2023.
Levy, Ellen K. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” Context Providers,
2014, pp.275-298, https://doi.org//10.2307/j.ctv36xvqqx.16.
UCTV. “Animal Biotechnology.” YouTube, 25 July 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIvAuwaf-o.
Vesna, Victoria. Week 6: BioTech + Art. Design and Media Arts 9: Art, Science, and Technology. University of California, Los Angeles. May 2023.
Images Cited
Selk, Glenn. “Artificial Insemination For Beef Cattle.” Oklahoma State University, 1 Mar. 2017, extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/artificial-insemination-for-beef-cattle.html#:~:text=Maximum%20fertility%20to%20artificial%20insemination,time%20the%20egg%20is%20released.
Süß, Joachim. “Cattle Farm Pictures.” Unsplash, unsplash.com/s/photos/cattle-farm. Accessed 11 May 2023.
The Museum For Insects. “Marta de Menezes.” Marta de Menezes - The Museum for Insects, hypernatural.com/museum/marta_de_menezes.html. Accessed 11 May 2023.
Hi Shelly! I really liked your elaboration on the butterfly artwork "Nature." I personally found this piece really intriguing, and I am also torn on deciding how and when limits should be drawn. I think the phrase "art with a lifespan" is intriguing, as it is true that most art is infinite in its length because it can be preserved, but it isn't thought about that often until there is a comparison point. Also, your reference to animal agriculture was interesting, hearing about a scientific use of artificial insemination to enhance milk production. This benefits society, but also makes us question how far we can and should go.
ReplyDeleteHi Shelly, I found your post to be really insightful as it shed light on the fascinating world of BioArt and the ethical dilemmas it presents. The example of the "Nature?" project raised important questions about the limits of artistic expression when it involves modifying living organisms. The discussion on animal biotechnology and its impact on farm animal performance also showcased the practical applications of biotechnology in improving our lives. I think your blog explored intersection between art, science, and ethics really well!
ReplyDeleteAloha Shelly, I saw your post and I thought it was extremely intriguing on the way you made us view the world with bioart and everything it stands for. Then you started to even talk about animal biotechnology, which was really fascinating because I never really thought of animals in that sense but it showed why they do the things they do and perform how they perform.
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