Week Six: Biotechnology and Art


      This week’s material covered the intersection of biotechnology and art, which includes many controversial topics, such as experimentation with animals, breeding animals, GMOs, and much more (Vesna). Nature, and the manipulation of it, is a large part of Bioart. In fact, Joe Davis, a pioneer of Bioart, posed the critical questions of what is life and what it means to manipulate it (Davis).

Many artists and scientists use, test on, and experiment with animals in order to make new discoveries. It is very controversial because many scientists and artists desire to perform experiments to learn, explore, or create a piece of art; however, many people, such as myself, think it is not ethical to and find it cruel to test and experiment with living animals.


Kac’s fluorescent bunny named “Alba” (“Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac”)

Transgenic art, genetic engineering and art, is when genes are transferred into organisms (Vesna). For example, Eduardo Kac inserted genes from a fluorescent jellyfish into the genes of an albino bunny in order to make it glow; it is called the “GFP Bunny,” and he named it “Alba” (Kac). He asserts this is his art piece, but I think it is abusive to bunnies. Since people can have bunnies as pets, I think I find it sadder when they are manipulated and experimented on than with amoebas and plants, which Kac also did this experiment with (Levy). I am not as unsettled with these organisms being altered since they do not have feelings like bunnies.

Different colors of golden retrievers (Castle)

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A photo of Bella (Esses)

I love animals, especially dogs. Despite the name “golden,” many golden retrievers are bred to be different shades. I had a white golden retriever named Bella from when I was five until I was almost 19. However, when she passed away, my family rescued a lab-pitbull mix, who we named Lily. Although Bella was an amazing dog and was from a breeder, I am now against breeding dogs because there are so many who do not have homes (“To Reasons to Adopt Pets”). Dogs from breeders also have genetic issues due to in-breeding (Oberbauer et al.). For example, Bella, like many dogs from breeders, had hip and elbow dysplasia.

A photo of Lily (Esses)

I have a soft spot in my heart for animals, so I see ethical issues with experimenting on them and altering their genetics; I think there should be some limits to human creativity. However, I also see that it is many Bioartists’ jobs to create art and make new discoveries, where life is an expressive medium.


Works Cited

Castle, Jackie. “Types of Golden retrievers and all their colors.” The Goldens Club, 9 May 2021, https://thegoldensclub.com/types-of-golden-retrievers-and-all-their-colors/. Accessed 6 May 2022.

Davis, Joe. “Joe Davis: BioArt – Art, Culture, and Technology (ACT).” ACT MIT, 31 October 2019, http://act.mit.edu/event/joe-davis-bioart/. Accessed 6 May 2022.

Esses, Hailey. A Photo of Bella. 28 May 2020.

Esses, Hailey. A Photo of Lily. 13 December 2020.

Kac, Eduardo. “Bio Art: Transgenic Works and other Living Pieces.” KAC, https://www.ekac.org/transgenicindex.html.

Oberbauer, A.M., et al. “Ten inherited disorders in purebred dogs by functional breed groupings - Canine Medicine and Genetics.” Canine Medicine and Genetics, 11 July 2015, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-015-0021-x. Accessed 6 May 2022.

“Top Reasons to Adopt Pets.” The Humane Society of the United States, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/top-reasons-adopt-pets. Accessed 6 May 2022.

“Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac.” Genome News Network, 29 March 2002, http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml. Accessed 6 May 2022.

Vesna, Victoria. (2022). “Biotechnology and Art” DESMA 9. Class lecture at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, May 2, 2022.

Comments

  1. Quinn Winter Desma 9May 8, 2022 at 12:42 PM

    Hi Hailey, I appreciate what you added to this week's conversation in your blog post. I agree with you that it is less unsettling when testing is done with amoebas and plants, since they are not animals who have feelings. Scientists test on animals because they can be most related to human bodies and reactions, yet there comes a point where it is cruel and inhumane to test on them, especially when it is affecting them negatively. Although bioartists need to continue to research and do tests, they need to find a new way to do so that doesn't harm living beings, like animals.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ethan FlanaganMay 8, 2022 at 6:46 PM

    Hi Haley, I enjoyed reading your post about biotech and art. I found it interesting how genetic engineering has become such a big thing in today's society. Organisms such as rabbits are being genetically altered for their appearance. I also agree with you that these modifications are unethical in some ways. It takes away of the natural beauty of the organism.

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