Week 6 | BioTech and Art | Asha Agarwal

Genetics and DNA are the foundation for our individuality and uniqueness as human beings. It provides our bodies with the blueprint for how we will grow as humans and the ways in which each protein, cell, and neuron will play a part and function in our bodies (Shaw). Essentially, it is extremely powerful. Each DNA strand is carefully cultivated with nucleotides that encode our genetic makeup, a process as beautiful and intricate as shown below.


Lant, Karla. “First-of-Its-Kind DNA Video Raises Big Question about Molecule of Heredity.” NBC News, 20 June 2017, https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/first-its-kind-dna-video-raises-big-question-about-molecule-ncna774821.


There has been a lot of art surrounding DNA and the exquisite nature of our bodily biology. From the perfect helix formed by DNA strands to the ways in which a single nucleotide shift can completely change the structure of a protein, art can be found and created in our knowledge of biology and genetics. Organisms can be genetically modified to change the color or outer appearance they portray, leading to interesting takes on modern art.


Carlson, Karen. “Andrea Barrett: ‘The Particles’ from Tin House #51, Spring 2012.” A Just Recompense, 17 Feb. 2022, https://sloopie72.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/andrea-barrett-the-particles-from-tin-house-51-spring-2012/.


Now, the question remains, how ethical is it really to genetically modify organisms and animals for the sake of art? While it is common sense that any genetic modifications that potentially harm the organism being worked with are out of the question for art, what happens if genetic modifications do nothing but change a specimen’s color or influence them neutrally like with the GFP Bunny (Kac)? It is an interesting question to pose and a controversial one at that, as discussed by Vesna, because it brings about dialogue about the nature and meaning of such art in the world (Vesna). This same conversation also invites the possibility of encouragement in the field by forming bioart ethics committees to maintain high standards laid out clearly for artists (Vaage).


Comfort, Nathaniel. “Genes Are Overrated.” The Atlantic, 24 May 2016, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/genes-are-overrated/480729/.


Genetics is a wide and diverse field filled with beauty and expression of art. Now is the time for artists to walk the fine line of appreciating bioart while also remaining ethical and safe in their practices. While rats are mutated and used for research, it is important for this to be considered separate from art as there is the potential for harm for transgenic rats (“How Did Matilda…”). All in all, the field of bioart is incredibly vast and genetics within it is an exciting new field ready to be explored in an ethical manner.



References:

“How Did Matilda, Tara and Star Barbie Become Transgenic Rats?” Embracing Animal: All About Transgenic Rats, http://www.embracinganimal.com/transrats.html.

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP Bunny.” GFP Bunny, http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor.

Shaw, Kenna. “Genetics.” Nature News, 2008, https://www.nature.com/scitable/topic/genetics-5/.

Vaage, Nora S. “What Ethics for Bioart?” Nanoethics, Springer Netherlands, 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4791467/#:~:text=Institutionalised%20Ethics%20Meets%20Bioart,harms%20of%20a%20specific%20project.

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture Part 1” BioTech+Art | Lectures. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129896/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=4852527.

Comments

  1. Joana (my display name doesn't show for some reason)May 6, 2022 at 7:01 PM

    I love your initial focus on the art specifically using the double helix and how you reference the ethics in bioart and the important separation between that and research as I focused on the same aspect. I would love to have you seen talk more about the last image because it's really cool and powerful with the connection to the solar system.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jahred SullivanMay 7, 2022 at 5:25 PM

    From an aesthetic and phonological perspective, your article was pleasing to read for it was informative, well-writen, and impassioned. The visualizations that you chose were also very relevant and appealing. I appreciate your suggestion about the subtle changes in both a piece of art and nucleotide sequence that could radically change the outcome/appearance. Statements like these built up nicely to the question of ethics surrounding biotech art. I must ask, though, why did you say that "now" is the time to define the line between art and ethics? Wouldn't this have been optimally addressed two or three decades ago when biotech was first being introduced to research laboratories? You noted that any sort of manipulation that harms the organism is not to be considered, but how do we definte harm, in physical or psychological terms? I fear that any intervention in the natural order could be put under scrutiny, thus we must come to unanimous agreement in what counts as disruptive.

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  3. AaronNoahDESMA9May 8, 2022 at 12:03 PM

    I agree with your take on the importance of ethics in bioart, but at the same time I wonder if we can provide a satisfying characterization of ethical guidelines for bioart. In a similar sentiment to the previous comment, I think it is also difficult to gauge how much harm is being done to another organism without direct access to their consciousness. But I disagree with the previous comment that we must come under unanimous agreement since I don't believe such agreement possible. We must nonetheless continue the dialogue and approach optimal ethical practice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Brian TamMay 8, 2022 at 9:26 PM

    I like how you introduce the function of our body like genetics and DNA and then shift your focus into discussing the ethical idea of modifying organisms and animals for the sake of art. I think this kind of introduction is very useful from a philosophical perspective. It is because to discuss something, we will need to define the meaning of the context first, which you very well on this part. I agree that the field of bioart can be tremendous as the biotechnology grows, the bioart grows as well. Even the ethical inquiry exists, it does not stop the exploration of bioart.

    ReplyDelete

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