Bio-Tech and Art

While having an open-minded understanding of the connection which includes the subjects of medicine, technology and art, it is not hard to imagine that art could be linked and combined with biology. However, in fact, as being completely new in the field of biology, it has been kind of hard to process everything which has been said in Ellen’s essay, “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classification.” Yet, the article still gave me something new about the differences between copyright and patent protection and how it applies in the arts, as well as the ethical issue which has been raised in this subject.

Personally speaking, as for being more creative on art work, it is the thing that people should think twice that how valid it is for artists to “challenge conventional classifications of life.” In this subject, bio-tech and art, has sometimes been giving the effort to be provocative that stands on the edge between morally correct or incorrect. According to Ellen’s article, the author mentions a clear example of such this kind of artworks that were created by Eduardo Kac. In some ways, Kac’s art can be very controversial and hard to understand for many of us because his ideas and contributions blur the line in our recognition of classical taxonomy with computational programming and bioengineering.

A-positive, credit by Eduardo Kac

The work, “A-positive,” which was done by 1997, examined and explored the delicate relationship between the human body and emerging new breeds of hybrid machines machines that incorporate biological elements and from these elements extract sensorial or metabolic function (Kac 1997). That is, a human being could have a direct physical contact with a robot in terms of  the two emerging forms of human and machine interface penetrate the boundaries of the flesh. As to be a new category- hybrid biological robot, it has been ascribed as “biobots.” This event reflects on the condition of the human body in the new context in which biology meets computer science and robotics. As well, this is the beginning of the concept of “bio-art.”

GFP Bunny, credit by Eduardo Kac

Controversially, a transgenic art work- GFP Bunny, named Alba, has been created. Yet, the implication and relevance to issues of today’s society of this work are discussed because the project is a complex social event that starts with the creation of a chemical animal which never existed in nature. However, it is an eye-opening subject. For me,  “Bio-art” is a subject which is swarming with nonsense and sense. This new subject will be leading us to the world of “Defining Life” and thinking differently in art and science. Ultimately, human creativity has no limit and beyond infinity.

References:

"Bio-Art, Ethics and Engagement." Waag Society. Waag Society, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 14 May 2017. <http://waag.org/en/news/bio-art-ethics-and-engagement>

Kac, Eduardo. "ART AT THE BIOBOTIC FRONTIER." Ekac. Ekac.org, n.d. Web. 14 May 2017. <http://www.ekac.org/apositive.html>

Kac, Eduardo. "GFP BUNNY." Ekac. Ekac.org, n.d. Web. 14 May 2017.<http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html>

Kac, Eduardo. "Art at the Biologic Frontier," in: Roy Ascott, ed., Reframing Consciousness (Exeter: Intellect, 1999), pp. 90-94. 14 May 2017.

Levy, Ellen K.. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” DESMA 9. Web. 14 May 2017.

Slawson, Kim. "Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny, a Work of Transgenic Art, Or, It's Not Easy Being Green." Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny, a Work of Transgenic Art, Or, It's Not Easy Being Green. Kac Web, n.d. Web. 14 May 2017. <http://www.ekac.org/slawson%203.html>

Vesna, Victoria, narr. “BioTech Art Lectures I-V.” N.p., . web. 14 May 2017.