Week 6 - Bio Tech + Art

Moet's impressionist depiction
of a Church

The question that seems to be underlying this week's learning is: how does one define art, and how far does that definition extend. It seems to me that throughout history, the evolution of Art is always met with a very strong initial opposition. Artists like Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh, were seen as outcasts as they moved the concept of art beyond realistic portraits and detailed paintings of events, into a more abstract impressionist realm of emotion and feeling. However; society ultimately saw the value in such forward thought. The same goes for Marcel Duchamp's rejection from the world of art after he submitted a urinal to the exhibition for the Society of Independent Artists in 1917 and called it Fountain. A few years later though, everyone realized his genius in expanding the concept of art itself as is written in The Blind Man, a New York Journal, "He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the title and point of view - created a new thought for that object" (1917). The reason I bring this up is because similar push back on progressively artistic thought is being given towards BioArt. A great example is Marta de Menezes' Nature? where she genetically modifies the patterns of a butterflies' wings. This became incredibly controversial after holes formed in their wings, saying that this isn't art. But I would argue the contrary and say that it absolutely is, because the medium for art is becoming less and less defined as people continually push its boundaries. Professor Vesna states in her lecture, "As technology and biotechnology advance, the palette of artists expands" (Vesna, 2016).

Fish and Chips

Another great example of art's pallets expansion was performed by SymbioticA. Entitled, Fish and Chips and later renamed MEART a robotic arm was electronically stimulated by the firings of goldfish neurons. This was created to explore a concept called the "Semi-Living Artist" with a very simplistic medium of basically paper and some pencils, but produce the image by completely unique means. Art is constantly being criticized and marginalized in the public eye because people simply do not understand its complexities. This is no reason to declare it, "not art."

Alba

Art is an experience, and if Eduardo Katz wants to make a bunny glow yellow with the fluorescent genes of a jellyfish and call it Alba, go ahead. It doesn't need to be a painting or traditional sculpture. A reaction to the work is enough to declare it art, and ultimately as long as laws aren't being broken, I do not believe that there should be any restrictions on human creativity or the definition of art; however, there always will be because ignorance will never fade.




Sources

 De Menezes, Marta. "Nature?" Marta De Menezes. Web. 07 May 2016. <http://martademenezes.com/portfolio/projects/>.

The Blind Man, Vol. 2, 1917, p. 5

Victoria, Vesna, narr. "BioTech Art Lectures I-V." N.p. web. 7 May 2016.

 "MEART." MEART. SymbioticA. Web. 07 May 2016. <http://www.fishandchips.uwa.edu.au/>. 

"Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac." Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac. Genome News Network, 29 Mar. 2002. Web. 07 May 2016 <http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml>. 

Images

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/RouenCathedral_Monet_1894.jpg


https://www.conncoll.edu/ccacad/zimmer/GFP-ww/images/alba2.jpg

http://www.frogheart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Fish-and-Chips_ArsElectronica2001.jpg