Blog 6: BioTech + Art

The advancement of biotechnology has allowed humans to transcend typical medical practices in just healing lives. With the ability to fundamentally alter biological code, and even create life in itself, humanity has crossed the border of playing both god and man. As much as a controversy this subject raises, many scientific experts have agreed that this development is inevitable, and it is a question of what regulations we place to control how the technology is applied. Furthermore, the development of the biotech field is not limited to just the scientific community, and has begun to play a bigger role in the field of art. Through this week’s readings and lectures, I was able to learn the different ways biotech has been represented as a form of art, and the implications that arise with it.

Designer Baby Attribution Selection Dramatization

3D Printed Heart

The human body and mind is a topic of great interest for many artists, as it is an avenue for expressing life in a way all humans can understand. By being able to create life from scratch is the ultimate pursuit that allows for infinite customization and artistic interpretations options. We can see this in “Designer Babies”, where clients can request for the presence or absence of certain traits during an artificial insemination process. By being able to influence factors such as physical attributes and resistance to certain diseases, the poster child of genetic perfection can be sculpted and bred. Other ongoing biotech developments include the 3D printing of functional organs and prosthetics that can be used in transplants. Even now, artists are finding a way to customize prosthetic limbs to add unique twists of self-expression, and this practice might even propagate to vital internal organs.

Scene from "Westworld" where artificial humans are being made

While all this is fascinating, it does beg the question, “Who has the rights/qualifications to tamper with this technology?” As of now, most biotech developments, especially those pertaining to human lives/health, are restricted to lab environments and medical professionals. However, some artists feel like the restrictions are unreasonable and are inhibiting them from expanding their art form. However, imagine if the ability to create and manipulate human life was available without regulations. As seen in the TV series, Westworld, tampering with artificial life has immense repercussions that humanity is not prepared to take responsibility for.

References

·       Shaer, Matthew. "Soon, Your Doctor Could Print a Human Organ on Demand." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 01 May 2015. Web. 14 May 2017.

·       "What is CRISPR-Cas9?" Facts. The Public Engagement team at the Wellcome Genome Campus, 19 Dec. 2016. Web. 14 May 2017.

·       Alptraum, Lux. "How Long Before We Can Build 'Westworld' Host Robots for Real?" Motherboard. N.p., 2 Nov. 2016. Web. 14 May 2017.

·       Levy, Ellen K. "Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications." Context Providers (2011): n. pag. Web. 13 May 2017.

·       C.M. Kelty, Outlaw, hackers, victorian amateurs: diagnosing public participation in the

·       life sciences today, Jcom 09(01) (2010) C03