HABITAT by Marta Gomez

ii

“HABITAT� by Marta Molina Gomez A thesis submitted to the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Design and Technology

Faculty: Anthony Deen and Andrew Zornoza, Thesis Studio, Spring 2014, Katherine Moriwaki and Andrew Zornoza, Thesis Studio, Fall 2015 Advisor: Paul Nicholson

Thesis production website: https://martamfadtthesis.wordpress.com

Copyright 2015 Marta Molina Gomez All Rights Reserved

Index Abstract

8-9

Concept Statement

10 - 13

Impetus

14 - 17

Initial Research

18 - 23

Prototypes & Workshop

24 - 31

Further Research

32 - 37

Prototyping HABITAT

38 - 45

Final Research

46 - 47

HABITAT

48 - 57

Bibliography

58 - 61

habitat is a series of landscapes, composed of 3D printed skeletons covered with the biomaterial agar. The landscapes create a collaboration between simple living organisms and their synthetic environments. The result of this manifests itself in different types of interactions as the organisms react to the challenges that the landscapes present.

Slime mold or Physarum polycephalum is the main habitant of these landscapes. It’s a single cell organism that behaves as a community. Slime mould is extremely smart and is great at solving mazes, one of the many interactions that can be seen in HABITAT. It’s amazing how nature always finds a way to show its beauty and power.

8

9

10

Jonas Edvard - MYX, Mycelium Textile Project

Concept Statement As if by magic the form sprouts up, following the light. The form begins to unfold and I find myself mesmerized by its movement, by its dynamic, organic and, in a way, feminine curves. After a few more seconds the form freezes, is the form still alive? After all, like the historian Henri Focillon said “… forms are alive in that they are never immobile…”. Nevertheless I wanted to find that out for myself.

In my discoveries I encountered BioArt, an area that holds questions that I’ve asked myself in the past. In particular, I have a big interest in biomaterials and how technology has been influencing biology for so long, giving us new and almost unbelievable possibilities that we don’t ever consider in our every day life. I happened to share these thoughts with others. Artists are taking advantage of biotechnology and synthetic biology to create.

Jonas Edvard created MYX (Mycelium textile project) using plant fiber and mushroom-mycelium, to build amazing lamp structures.

An other example is Suzanne Lee that made

biocouture pieces using scoby, a cellulose

Currently, we don’t a have a method that

material produced by bacteria in Kombucha. I

allow us to shape this material in the way we

couldn’t help but wonder, how can I use tech-

desire, I found the material and needed to

nology in a better way to incorporate bioma-

give it the perfect form.

terials in my work as a designer?

I started working with a simple syringe, adding What material could be better than any of the

drop after drop to create the tallest form I

ones mentioned before? When I discovered

could. This experimentation formed beautiful,

agar I knew that no other material could share

organic castles, but I needed more control of

such amazing properties. A vegetal gelatin,

the material. The goal of this exploration was

much stronger than the one we are familiar

not only to find a better way of using agar, but

with, melting at 84 celsius degrees, solidifying

as well, create a method for myself that will

at room temperature, giving us a good frame-

allow me to give this material the purpose I

work to manipulate it, and being the main

believe it should have.

medium to grow any living organism in, which I believe is the most powerful quality any

What moved me to create this project in the

material could have.

beginning was the living quality of forms.

A living form moves, changes over time and

Recently many industries have tried to shape

never stops. We love playing with life, some-

agar. It has had a big impact in molecular

thing in the human condition makes this idea

gastronomy where it’s used to turn liquids into

irresistible and I’m not different. What other

solids. Also in design projects like “Noisy Jel-

way of keeping a form alive than bonding the

ly” by Marianne Cauvard and Raphaël Pluvin-

form to a living organism?

age, where they created a toy for children to explore new materials, color and sound. The

l built artificial landscapes for living organisms,

most influential project for me has been the

in order to create a collaboration between

Agartecture workshop for designers that took

these living creatures and their artificial envi-

place at Cynetart Festival, Dresden, Germa-

ronments. This is the ultimate purpose of my

ny last year, where designers were invited to

experimentation, a collaboration that will man-

create structures for bacteria. Analyzing these

ifest through different interactions produced

projects I realized that they used molds to

by the organisms activities as they react to the

give form to the material.

challenges that HABITAT presents.

11

Impetus All my life, I’ve been surrounded by art in multiple forms. It wasn’t until my last year of high school when I decided to apply to art school instead of biology, which I had spent four years pursuing. In my individual exploration of art, I got lost in the abstract forms that provided me a great space for creativity, as well as constraints. I felt an urge to explore new possibilities, I traveled and learnt about other cultures.

Through exchange programs to the US, I found the power of design. I enjoyed the feeling of controlling what I wanted to make, following a plan, looking for a solution, it drove me away from spontaneity and at the same time, helped me decide my future.

I found myself divided into two worlds that interlace. I was running away from art to pursue perfection and control, only to discover that it is the free way of thinking of my other half, what makes my design so personal.

After graduating from college I had a very important decision to make. I wanted to learn something new, something different. That is

14

how I got myself into the Design and Technol-

After forcing myself to run away from the

ogy program at Parsons, The New School of

things I loved, I found out that I wanted to

Design, an opportunity that taught me what I

combine them together to create bio art

really wanted to do. I am not happy just con-

and bio-designer pieces, but why this topic?

templating the things happening around me,

Biology was going to be my future, and now

I feel the need to participate in what I see.

I have the possibility to combine both worlds

Some people feel comfortable stating their

into one.

opinions, I feel comfortable expressing myself through my art and design.

Art and science have always interacted with each other in an indirect and subtle way.

All my work follows the same structure. My

A clear example of this connection are the

pieces grow from a process of exploration, a

pioneering investigations of the microscopic

process that concentrates on finding new uses

structure of the brain by Santiago Ramon y

for very interesting and unique materials. The

Cajal, considered the father of neuroscience.

physical things around us it’s what calls my

His very detailed and beautiful drawings of

attention, their textures, their finishes, their

brain cells are crucial in understanding the

different properties, how the world around

interaction of art and science.

them can modify their behavior.

Since then, technology has evolved at an In my process, I always try to be organized,

incredible speed, making unimaginable things

thinking on the next step by designing pro-

possible, things that will change the world as

tocols. Somewhere along that line my project

we know it today. I believe biotechnology and

shifts from a design problem, to an art piece.

biomaterials are the future and I want to be

Which is the right term to define my work?

part of this future.

Does it has to be only one thing? I think that two is better than one. Learning about art and design has helped me to be more versatile, to combine more than one discipline in my work, as well as other ways of thinking and applying different processes and methods.

Before HABITAT, slime mold spores

15

Ernst Haeckel - Art froms in Nature, 1974

18

Ramon y Cajal - Neuron illustration, 1911

Initial Research Santiago knew what he wanted to be, he wanted to be an artist. He couldn’t resist scribbling on paper, or drawing ornaments in books; but his father didn’t approve this behavior, he considered art a frivolous entertainment and a sin. His father’s view drove Santiago Ramon y Cajal towards medicine.

Considered the father of neuroscience, Ramon y Cajal (1852 - 1934) also mastered gymnastics, chess, philosophy, hypnotism and became one of the first Spanish photographers to use color photography. His artistic leanings even extended to fiction writing. He found his own artistic conventions and ways of representing the world, claiming that all scientist needed to understand art to be able to talk about their work.

His representation of neurons are incredibly beautiful and meticulous, his distinct style is represented by very thin lines, combining soft and long curves with very short and wiggly ones to create different textures. He plays with thickness and overlapping techniques to achieve different patterns, and it seams

impossible that an image so simple can rep-

game simply by taking sides“3, said Bronows-

resent a very complex element with perfect

ki worried about the importance of science

accuracy. What is so fascinating about Ramon

in society, he thought that someday science

y Cajal is that his discoveries became contribu-

could carry the responsibility of making

tions for both worlds, he showed us how multi

decisions of our future, since the world now

disciplines provide a better understating of

and then, is powered by science. Throughout

any subject.

history, science and art were connected in

“Art interacts with science more indirectly and subtly”1

many different forms, often this relationship took the form of a visual support to scientific investigations.

Like Ramon y Cajal studies, numerous sci-

Following the line of Ramon y Cajal, Robert

entific discoveries were possible because of

Hooke (1635 - 1703) included detailed images

art. As David Edwards addresses in his book

of his first microscope as well as the first ever

“Artscience”, aesthetic and scientific methods

visual representation of microscopic images

need from one another more than we realize.

with minute detail. What is most striking to me

“Aesthetic proposes require understanding

is how his illustrations pop out of the paper

of science methods likewise scientific aims

tricking your eye into thinking that are real.

require application or understanding of aesthetic ones. Being able to simplify nature to

It is essential to mention Anna Atkins

its essence, that is what we call artscience” 2.

(1799 - 1871) and her publication “Photo-

Like Edwards implies in this quote, I always

graphs of British Algae” produced between

find myself divided between two worlds, rea-

1843 and 1853, since it is the very first book

son and emotion. It is fundamental for me to

to include photographic images. Considered

understand both worlds on their own, as well

a botany book to serve as an inventory of

as where their relationship started and how it

algae species, it is in fact a piece of art. Every

evolved to be so interconnected today, which

single page is a beautifully composed cyano-

is the main purpose of this research.

type that captures the subtle transparencies in each algae leaf. This is a very important step

“We live in a world which is penetrated

in which new technologies changed the way

through and through by science and which is

art and science related, providing more room

both whole and real. We cannot turn it into a

for creativity.

1. David Edwards, Artscience (Harvard University Press 2009), 1-8 2. David Edwards, Artscience (Harvard University Press 2009), 6 3. J.Bronowski, Science and Human Values (Julian Messner, INC New York,1956), 12

19

“What is the insight which the scientist tried to see into nature? Can it indeed be called either imaginative or creative?” 4

everywhere, in it’s most pure and vibrant form,

Today we find integration of science and tech-

where it serves an specific purpose, very often

nology in our world and we don’t realize how

related to survival.

it’s changing cultural expression as fast as it’s changing our lives. We don’t think about how

When it comes to artists referencing science in

the musician and the computer scientist, or

their work Kepler is a good example. He want-

the visual artist and the biologist come to use

ed to relate the speed of the planets to the

the same language.

When I came across Ernst Haeckel’s work I

musical intervals.”The Lady with the Ermine”

realized how the urge for self expression was

by Leonardo Da Vinci researches man and

What happens when an artist doesn’t need

reaching scientist as well. Haeckel (1834 -

animal as much as Darwin’s Origin of Spe-

to study biology to create a biology centered

1919) was a biologist, naturalist, philosopher,

cies. There is a rich story of art and science

piece? The open exposure of art to science

physician, professor, and artist who discov-

innovation from Brunelleschi and Leonardo to

has caused a division of beliefs.

ered, described and named thousands of

George Seurat, addressed by Martin Kemp in

new species.

1970 in his book “The Science of Art”.

Society often fears technological advances.

These are more tangible now thanks to artists

These images are no longer a simple repre-

Using acoustic sounds mixed with amplified

that bring ethical and moral questions to the

sentation of a subject but an interpretation in

small sounds and recordings of sine waves,

table. Frequently the reaction to this prac-

color and form. He moved away from reality

John Cage began his Imaginary Landscapes

tice is very negative. We all remember Hirst’s

and closer to imagination, inspired by organic

and from there a long exploration of electron-

Freeze exhibit where he placed a shark corpse

patterns and focused on composition. These

ic music, percussion and silence. He once said

inside a formaldehyde tank. The scandal and

illustrations relate to architectural structures

“the function of Art is to imitate Nature in her

questions that this piece brought up were re-

and forms of life at the same time, inspiration

manner of operation. Our understanding of

lated to the ethics of mortality, who is an artist

that I take into account when commenting on

“her manner” changes according to advances

to play with life?

artificial environments, differentiating natural

in the sciences” 5. I’m trying to put into prac-

and organic forms from artificial, “machine

tice Cage’s words.

made” structures. I see them as cities, micro worlds where life develops in a complete different way, almost magical, but very true to the original cycle of life.

Color is the other main characteristic that I always pursue in my work. In nature color is

Scientists as well fear artists playing with

“We might need new materials, new technologies.

We have them.

We are in the world of X, chaos, the new science.” 6

things they don’t understand. Steven Kurtz found himself involved in a federal investigation when his wife suddenly suffered a fatal heart attack. The police framed Kurtz as responsible of the incident because of his bacteria experiments for his “Bio art” work. There is lack of knowledge that artists are trying to

4. J.Bronowski, Science and Human Values (Julian Messner, INC New York,1956), 19

20

5. John Cage, Autobiographical Statement (johncage.org) 6. J.Bronowski, Science and Human Values (Julian Messner, INC New York,1956), 92 7. John Dewey, Art as Experience(New York: Putnam, 1934), 218

Anna atkins - Photographs of British Algae, 1843

21

fulfill but is not an easy task, it will take a long

procedures which taught me knew methods to

I worry about the world around us. About how

time to realize that “the exploration of the

implement in my work.

are we shaping our environments. What is go-

artist is no less truthful and strenuous than that

ing to happen if the world as a whole doesn’t The risks: Moving away from my comfort zone

start to ask these questions? If this doesn’t

and diving into a field that I knew nothing

present a big challenge by itself, I worry about

Nonetheless, there is a process that the

about was a big risk. I encountered many chal-

the language that artists can use to build a

“art-scientist” goes through to create art from

lenges and all of them made me more resolu-

bridge between these very controversial is-

their experience as a scientist and not as a

tive in my design.

sues without presenting a threat to the public,

of the scientist.” 7

metaphor of an outside observation. David

how can these concepts be approachable so

Edwards divides the process of an “artscien-

The rewards: I merged my previous knowledge

tist” as the expression of their idea, later a

with the new one to reach a different under-

deep study of new experiences, followed by

standing of both, bringing my art and design

I talked about scientist that used visual arts

disregard of their audience and after a long

to a new level, combining disciplines to make

to represent their work, I talked about artist

test and determination they come to their

my voice stronger.

that used science advances to create pieces

original expression. He also clarifies that this is

people sympathize with them?

that were ahead of their time, I never mention

not only a personal translation but that the ac-

Perception versus reality: Until this experi-

writing as an artistic contribution to science.

tual process is a mix of passion, curiosity and

ment I didn’t think of the risks and rewards of

Above all, fictional writing has a lot of exam-

freedom. I applied this structure to my own

my decision. I always followed my passion,

ples to offer. One of my favorites is Jorge Luis

process to see if my work correlates to what

what felt right independently of external opin-

Borges and his “Book of Imaginary Beings”.

Edwards calls an “artscientist”.

ions, and I never stopped fighting for what I

He compiled a manual of all the extraordinary

thought was important.

creatures that along time and space men’s

The idea: with my training as an artist and a

fantasy brought to life and like this he tells the

designer I started to think that joining disci-

The artscience work: I hope to achieve inno-

tales of each imaginary creature of the history

plines together could build a stronger profile

vation on how we think about our environ-

of man kind.

for myself.

ment, how new materials can help build a new

The artscience process: I’ve always tried to incorporate pieces of the different worlds I knew into my work: art, design, music, dance.

The possibility of adding biology to the list became a main attraction so I dove into it.

I started studying biology and laboratory

22

world and how studying basic forms of life can

Mister Finch brings flora and fauna to life with

help us learn how to adapt to the future.

an element of fantasy; fabric spiders having

“For while the roots of every experience are found in the interaction of a live creature with its environment.” 8

a tea party, bees the size of a human head, or over-sized fungi. All his pieces are based on british folklore which gives his pieces a beautiful narrative. This becomes relevant to my work considering that a fictional narrative

8. Eduardo Kac, Signs of Life, Bio Art and Beyond (Eduardo Kac 2007),18

about each of my artificial environment could create a personal connection between the public and the piece. This is not an hypothetical situation of the future but a story of the present, with a living community like us trying to connect to their world. The relationship between art and science in my work grows in a biological direction.

What is the relationship between art and biology? “Bio art is a new direction in contemporary art that manipulates the processes of life…” employs: “the coaching of bio-materials into specific shapes or behaviors; the use of biotech tools and processes; the invention or transformation of living organisms with or without social or environmental integration.” 9 I’m passionate about bio art for it uses the properties of life and its materials to re-invent life itself. “Life” can be interpreted in different ways, from a carbon-based organism to a social environmental context in which we take in account subjectivity, cognition and communication.

“Science is nothing else than the search to discover unity in the wild variety of nature, the arts are the same search. Each looks for likenesses under the variety of human experience” 10 9. Eduardo Kac, Signs of Life, Bio Art and Beyond (Eduardo Kac 2007),19 10. J.Bronowski, Science and Human Values (Julian Messner, INC New York,1956), 27

23

Molecular gastronomy - turning vinegar into a solid form

26

Additive exploration - using a syringe taddin drops of agar

Prototypes &workshop For my first prototype I looked into a molecular gastronomy technique called spherification. The culinary process of shaping a liquid into spheres using agar.

Inspired by this technique I built little castles using a syringe filled with agar by letting a drop down every 4 seconds. The shapes that resulted from this experiment where interesting but very small and unpredictable.

For my next iteration I tried to subtract material by carving out of a big piece, like in most common sculpture techniques. After that, I added color and pasted the small castle shapes on to my carved piece. I wanted to see how others worked with this material so I organized a workshop where I provided different tools to allow more creativity. The results were really impressive, using the tools in a different way they created incredible sculptures.

27

28

Substrative exploration - carving a block of agar to create hollow parts

Substration and Addition - Combining both techniques

29

30

Workshopping - Sculpture that one of the participants made

Workshopping - How do others interact with agar

31

34

Bio-Logic - Potato dextrose agar print

further Research

“Over the past few decades, biology has

after lunch we headed over to BUGSS.Things

entered the collective debate more than

took a 360° turn when the workshop leaders

any other science. We’ve been learning that

told me that we were building a regular 3D

organisms, being organized informations,

printer, not a bio printer…But they had a bio

can be manipulated, and their features can be combined to perform specific functions…

This, by defining a new balance between the autonomy of the process itself and the will of

When talking about communication, 3D space

the designer.”

becomes essential to accomplish my thesis.

For this reason I’ve been doing an investiga-

One of the important parts of 3D printing for

tion, not only about the medium, but focus-

my project resides in the power of multipli-

ing mainly on how to build a 3D printer for

cation, l agree with Suzanne Anker when she

soft media. My main reference is Bio-Logic, a workshop where different organizations and artists were able to 3D print a very specific type of agar called “Potato Agar Dextrose” adding oat meal to feed slime mold. The company Co-De-It create the software that they use to send information to the 3D printer, and the artist Maurizio Montali provided the bio art aspect of the project.

How do biological entities and digital algorithms relate to each other? How could the study of such interaction be visualized? These are just some of the questions that brought Maurizio to the project. He talks about the importance that biology has reached today, the combination between biology and computation, the manipulation of organisms and information and, ultimately, the role that designers can take in this debate.

printer and they were willing to show me the mechanics and even give me some pieces to make my own. I was still very upset about the fact that they didn’t clarify what the workshop was about but I didn’t want to give up so I continued with the build. The first day of building was pretty intense but by the end of the day we had the X axis ready to go with the

says that “Reproduction is becoming a revolu-

extruder installed. The second day we were

tionary enterprise in the age of technoscience:

expecting a snow storm and we felt behind

from digital ink-jets to computational neural

with the build.

nets, from remote imaging to cybernetic communication systems, from tissue engineering

First thing Saturday morning I talked to the

of human cells to reproductive technologies.

guys at BUGSS about what my real interest

With the bio-printing of replacement organs to

was and the reason why I came all the way

invisible data bases, our technoscientific age

to Baltimore in the first place, I wanted to 3D

seems without limits.”

print agar and I wanted all the pieces that they could give me to hack the Jimmi~re-

To learn hands down the process of 3D print-

search 3D printer. Ryan Hoover, who is cur-

ing I organized a trip to Baltimore, where the

rently working on the bio printer, walked me

BUGSS biolab (Baltimore Under Ground Sci-

through the process of 3D printing agar. He

ence Space) offered a workshop on bio-print-

removed the extruder of the Jimmi~research

ing.My friend Juno and I jumped on a 5 hours

to add a 3D printed piece that he designed to

bus to Baltimore, full of excitement since I was

contain a syringe with the agar acting as a hot

finally going to see a real 3D printer print-

water jacket.

ing agar. After the long ride we settled in a beautiful, cozy townhouse with Susanne. She

The 3D syringe holder connected to a hot

gave us some tips to get around the city and

water tank that maintains the water at a certain

35

temperature and pumps the water into the

use the methods that I had developed during

syringe holder to keep the agar always liquid.

the year to create 3D agar pieces and bring my 3D agar landscapes to life. It was a very tough

The syringe itself is connected to a com-

decision

plex pneumatic system where the pressure

to make.

is controlled with a high-precision regulator (0-15 psi) connected to a digital readout. Two solenoid valves toggle between print pressure, purge pressure, and retraction vacuum.

These solenoids are connected to mosfets on the RAMBo circuit board and controlled with gcode. The system is supplied with compressed air (typically 60-40 psi) from a standard air compressor which is passed through a filter and a desiccant. Vacuum pressure is provided from a 2.5 CFM, 75 micron vacuum pump, which is regulated and monitored with a dial gauge.

Summarizing, it was a very complicated system that I didn’t have time to build. They were also having problems with sterilization, their pieces lasted less than 24 hours without contamination. This was a lot of information to process that definitely affected the course of my thesis.

I realized that I had two options, I could hack the Jimmi~research 3D printer into a bio printer using the resources that Ryan was willing to give me and maybe create a simplified version of what he had at BUGSS, or I could

36

Jimmi~research 3D printer - X axis and extruder

37

38

Prototyping HABITAT I cleared all the obstacles out of my mind and I made the decision to build my 3D landscapes, designing my own method to shape agar. I started by 3D modeling the structure, a field that was completly new to me. I used Cinema 4D for my modeling and later I 3D printed them using PLA plastic in a makerbot replicator 2. These structures became the skeleton of HABITAT. I dipped them into agar creating a thick layer for the organism to grow.

There is something really interesting in mixing artificial and bio-materials. I see a symbiosis between artificial and natural when both connect, not like two different entities, but as a one.

There are concrete examples of this fusion in HABITAT. The slime mold changes its pigmentation from yellow to the predominant color of the ecosystem, a fusion between the slime mold and food coloring.

39

40

Prototyping HABITAT - 3D prints, skeleton

Prototyping HABITAT - Colored agar and nutrients

41

42

Prototyping HABITAT - Slime mold and fungi survival instincts

Prototyping HABITAT - Adding living organisms, fungi spores

43

46

Final Research If we go back to my concept statement I talked about how the living qualities of forms was what moved me to start this project. For a very long time I’ve been inspired by the historian Henri Focillion who said that “forms are always alive in that they are never immobile” what made time and movement a very important part of HABITAT. Another of my big inspirations was Paul Klee and his “communication with nature”. He produced a philosophy that rested on empathy with the created world.

“For the artist communication with nature remains the most essential condition. The artist is human, himself nature: part of nature within natural space” 11

ism, a slime mold called Physarum polyceph-

the Physarum also reacts to other challeng-

alum. Physarum polycephalum literally means

es in the environment. When it runs out of

the “many-headed slime”, is a slime mold

resources it starts producing toxins created by

that inhabits shady, cool, moist areas, such as

its activities and begins to poison its envi-

decaying leaves and logs. Like slime moulds

ronment. At some point, the slime mold, will

in general, it is sensitive to light; in particular,

recognize what is happening, it will take steps

light can repel the slime mold and be a factor

to reduce its activity, and it will take a dormant

in triggering spore growth.

form to be able to survive.

It has been shown to exhibit intelligent char-

In HABITAT we can see the slime mold

acteristics like being able solve the shortest

solving mazes and blurring the lines between

path problem. When grown in a maze with

natural and artificial by merging with these

oatmeal at two spots, it retracts from every-

artificial landscapes. We see how different

where in the maze, except the shortest route

organisms behave around each other, for ex-

connecting the two food sources. When

ample building creative pathways to get faster

presented with more than two food sources, it

to the resources or even changing their forms

apparently solves a more complicated trans-

to spores. It’s fascinating to watch the land-

portation problem.

scapes growing over time. Each landscape becomes something unique, unlike the others,

Physarum can not only solve these computa-

even if they started at the same place. These

tional problems, but also exhibits some form

artificial environments induce nature to reveal

of memory. By repeatedly making the test

its beauty and power. HABITAT represents a

environment of a specimen of P. polycephalum

part of us, of the world we live in. It comments

cold and dry for 60-minute intervals, Hokkaido

on our behavior towards the environment and

University biophysicists discovered that the

our daily activities. This projects aims to:

slime mold appears to anticipate the pattern He created a Microcosm of his own visual

by reacting to the conditions when they didn’t

world, while he worshipped the Macrocosm of

repeat the conditions for the next interval.

the universe, as I create Microhabitats that re-

Researchers have successfully used the or-

flects on the behavior of our own Macroworld.

ganism’s reaction to its environment in a USB

To add the living quality to my 3D landscapes

sensor to control a robot.

I decide to work with a very interesting organ-

If all these discoveries aren’t mind blowing

11. Paul Klee, Paths of the Study of Nature. Yearbook of the Staatliche Bauhaus, Weimar, 1923 12. Georg Philipp Friedrich von Hardenberg, Novalis

“…give mysteriousness to the common, give the dignity of the unknown to the obvious, and a trace of infinity to the temporal.” 12 47

50

HABITAT 1 - Day1, building the landscape

HABITAT 1- Day 3, introducing slime mold

51

52

HABITAT 1 - Day 5, slime mold looking for nutrients

HABITAT 1 - Day 7, Slime mold spores

53

54

HABITAT 1 - Day 9, slime mold spores and different fungi

HABITAT 1- Day 11, spores spread through the landscape

55

56

HABITAT 2 - Day 3, new type of fungi changes the color of the landscape

HABITAT 2 - Day 5, close up of fungi spores

57

58

HABITAT 3 - Day 2, slime mold looking for nutrients

HABITAT 4 - Day 1, landscape close up

59

Bibliography Books & Articles Anker, Suzanne. “Cut, Paste, Print: Transforming Reproductive Limits.” 28 September 2013 <http://www.suzanneanker.com/2013/events/cut-paste-print-transforming-reproductive-limits/> Bronowski, Jacob. “Science and Human Values.” Julian Messner, INC New York,1956.

Cage, John. “Autobiographical Statement” 1990. <johncage.org> David Edwards, Artscience: Creativity in the post-Google Generation (Harvard University Press 2009) Dewey, John. “Art as Experience.” New York: Putnam, 1934.

Kac, Eduardo. “Signs of Life, Bio Art and Beyond.” Eduardo Kac 2007.

3D Printing 3D Printshow. “Pancakebot: 3D Printing Food.” 30.05.2014. <http://3dprintshow.com/pancakebot-3d-printing-food/> 3D Printshow. “Alan Faulkner Jones” <http://3dprintshow.com/global-awards/inspirational-individual/alan-faulkner-jones/> BioCurious. “BioPrinter Community Project” <http://biocurious.org/projects/bioprinter/> Co-de-It. “Nexto Bio-Logic Workshop Report”. 04.15.2014. <http://www.co-de-it.com/wordpress/nexto-biologic-workshop-report.html> Flickr. “Bio-Logic Workshop” 01.14.2014. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/co-de-it/sets/72157640140974623/> Flickr. “Bio-Logic Workshop: Procedures.” <https://www.flickr.com/photos/corpuscoli/ sets/72157640635188595/> Instructables. “DIY bioprinter by Patrik” <http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-BioPrinter/step2/Problem-current-inkjet-printers-are-too-high-resol/> Montali, Maurizio. “Bio-Logic Workshop” <http://www.mauriziomontalti.com> Napier, Hannah. “3D Printed Chocolate Advent Calendar.” 12.01.2011. <http://hannahnapier.

62

co.uk/2011/12/3d-printed-chocolate-advent-calendar/> Tang, Jimmy. “MetMediaLab: 3D Food Printers.” October 2014 <https://metmedialab.hackpad. com/3D-Food-Printers-Rqd5tMvCI0x> O’Brien, Terrence. “Five questions for the woman who is 3D printing edible fruit” <http://www.engadget. com/2014/10/31/five-questions-for-the-woman-whos-3d-printing-edible-fruit/> RichRap. “Universal Paste Extruder” 04.15.2012. <http://richrap.blogspot.com/2012/04/universal-paste-extruder-ceramic-food.html> Molecular Gastronomy Heinech, Lauren. “You’ve never had fish like this.” 09.18.2012. <http://www.sobremesainspain.com/2012/09/ aponiente-cadiz-chef-angel-leon-michelin-restaurant.html> Jeremijenko, Natalie. “Cross(x)Species Adventures.” 08.21.2010. <http://www.environmentalhealthclinic.net/ ooz/projects/xspecies/> ArtScience Flickr. Atkins, Anna. “Cyanotypes of British algae.” 1799.1871. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/ sets/72157610898556889/> Heackel, Ernst. “Art forms in Nature.” 1899. <http://www.rarebooksberlin.de/fileadmin/haeckel_artforms.pdf> Hooke, Robert. “Micrographia.” 01.31.1864. <http://archive.nlm.nih.gov/proj/ttp/flash/hooke/hooke.html> Organisms Siddique, Rezina. “Amoebas get social when they hit hard times.” January 2013. <http://inbt.jhu. edu/2013/07/18/amoebas-get-social-when-they-hit-hard-times/> Wild, Alex. “Starving to be Social.” 11.26.2012. <http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/compound-eye/2012/11/26/starving-to-be-social-the-odd-life-of-dictyostelium-slime-molds/> BioMaterials Lee, Suzanne. “The Biocouture Shoe.” 2013. <http://thisisalive.com/biocouture/> Kim, Minsu . “Living food.” March 2012, June 2013. <http://www.minsukim.net/Living-Food-1> Kim, Raphael. “Agartecture Workshop: Designing Structures for Bacteria. 06.09.2013. <http://biohackanddesign.com/2013/09/06/agartecture-workshop/> Mycelium: Biomaterials - <http://www.ericklarenbeek.com> Wyss Institute. “Chitosan BioPlastic.” March 2014. <http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpage/531

63