Week 6: BioTech + Art
Abi Altick
May 11, 2019
This week’s topic was particularly interesting to me, as
it is by far the most controversial topic we have covered in this course thus
far. Based on my previous knowledge of biotechnology, I never realized that
artistry could be involved in this extremely complex subject. As Professor Vesna
indicates, there are many pros and cons to this topic, especially when speaking
of the experimentation on animals and the creation of hybrids between species. It was extremely interesting to learn about artists beginning to enter
labs, even entering the tissue level, in order to collaborate with scientists
through combing biotechnology and art (Vesna).
One of the most controversial topics covered this week
was whether or not the manipulation of animals in biotech art is ethical. A
prime example of this is Eduardo Kac claiming a fluorescent bunny Alba as an “art
piece” (Vesna). Bunny Alba was injected with fluorescent genes from a jelly
fish. As a result, the bunny began to glow bright green. The
green fluorescent protein (GFP) that was injected has since been used in order
to track the growth of brain development and even cancer cells. While I can
understand implementing GFP to help track the evolution of something as life
threatening as cancer cells, I do have a hard time accepting the manipulation
of Bunny Alba as simply a work of art. I do believe that it is necessary and
important to at times use animals in order to make medical discoveries,
specifically rats as they are very similar to human beings (Vesna). However, it
seems unnecessary and abusive to simply manipulate animals in order to create
an art piece, as Kac did with bunny Alba.
All in all, I believe there is a fine line
between using animals as an art form and using them in order to help cure
medical mysteries such as cancer. While the collaboration of artists joining
the scientists in biotech labs is awesome, I do have to question the
ethicalness of this alliance. For instance, in regard to Kac’s glowing bunny,
it seems as if nobody benefited from Alba becoming a piece of “art.” It is
particularly important for us UCLA students to realize just how much biological
research goes on in our campus’ laboratories (Kelty). The influence that
biotechnology has on art must be monitored in order to ensure the animals are being
manipulated for explainable reasons.
References:
Kelty, Chris. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?”. Web. 6 May.
2019.
Vesna,
Victoria. "5bioart pt2" YouTube, UC Online, 17 May
2012.
Vesna, Victoria. "5bioart
pt1 1280x720" YouTube, UC Online, 18 Sept. 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaThVnA1kyg.
Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt3.” YouTube, UC Online, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=3EpD3np1S2g.
Young, Emma. “Mutant Bunny.” New
Scientist, 2002, www.newscientist.com/article/dn16-mutant-bunny/.
Hi Abi,
ReplyDeleteI share a similar viewpoint with you on the use of animals and biotechnology. While this topic is controvrsial, I appreciate how you explored both sides of the advantages and disadvantages of using animals in art and experiments. I enjoyed reading you interpretation of the Alba Bunny, as that was one of my examples too. Great job!
Abi, I really connected to you mentioning animal testing as a controversial topic of biotechnology. I mentioned that in my blog post too because it is a major topic of discussion.I agree with you that I question the ethics of it as what true benefit does making mice glow in the dark truly have on society?
ReplyDeleteHello Abi,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post as I felt it offered much insight into the ongoing controversy of biotechnology and art. During this whole week of lecture, I never really stopped to think if what these bioartists were creating is actually art, or if it just sick form of manipulation of nature. I thought you brought this issue to a forefront in your blog, and opened my eyes even further into the ethicality behind many of these works. Great analysis!
Best,
Sebastian Haworth
Hello Abi,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog particularly interesting as you stated that this topic is awesome as scientists and artsits collab together. I come from an understanding in not really seeing a point some of the projects done, or how some of the things we talked about, such as the glowing bunny are art, when nature, and animals are art around us. Why change that?