The
week’s topic covered Biotech and Art, or the use of cells and tissues to create
unique living art. Working in a research lab I have used fluorescent proteins
and the GFP filters in order to visualize the uptake of nanoparticles into
cancer cells. Although I knew GFP was a very popular tag for research purposes I
did not know that it was being used a cancer diagnostic and even more abstract
uses such as with the GFP Bunny, Alba. Through Alba, Eduardo Kac has created a
one-of-a-kind piece of art that can never again be perfectly replicated.
However, the ethics been his creation is questionable. For now, until it is
proven that the insertion of the GFP gene is harmful to the bunny, I think Kac’s
attempt to create a social project through the bunny is admiral and at the
forefront of forward thinking.
Plants
are another tool that have utilized in art. Steichen cross breed irises to
create new species. Considering this, Mendel was the pioneer for cross breeding
with his study of pea plants to determine the inheritance patterns of the
plants. He was able to determine which generations would get a certain color
using a certain set of parents. Further along in history, tulips have also been
studied for coloring. Multiple books were written to describe the push to
create a black colored tulip and the race among plant growers. The Biotech and
art displayed in this week’s videos show a new kind of art that will continue
to evolve over the next generation.
Dumas, Alexandre, A. J.
O'Connor, and Octave Uzanne. The Black Tulip. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1902. Print.
"Luminous Cells from
Jellyfish Could Diagnose Cancers Deep within Human Body." ScienceDaily.
Yorkshire Cancer Research, 6 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 May 2015.
Kac, Eduardo. "GFP BUNNY." GFP BUNNY. N.p., n.d.
Web. 07 May 2015.
Vesna. "5 BioArt Pt3." YouTube. UC Online
Program, 17 May 2012. Web. 07 May 2015.
Zimmer, Marc. "Cool Uses." Green Fluorescent
Protein. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.
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ReplyDeleteYour comparison of the artistic animal biotechnology to the use of biotechnology in plant breeding is insightful since different ethical issues arise with plants and animals. It helps extend the issues mentioned with modifying living things in bio-art.People often argue of animal cruelty in engineering an animal while they would argue that engineering plant increases the risk of novel plants toxic to humans and their environment.
ReplyDeleteHamilton Trinh