Synthetic Biology Art Exhibition Winners

from Osqledaren #1 2019/2020

Plugga med barn? Hur går det egentligen?

Linda Nurk - Serendipity

How does your artwork reflect synthetic biology?

I’m a designer, my art is fashion centered around the idea of growing degradable textiles/plants on the human body. Exploring the impact of the body when it’s losing control over environment - a body’s place when a bio-synthetic growth takes over the layers we put on our bodies.

What is your opinion on synthetic biology?

Synthetic biology is a vital component in Post-growth design/art disciplines and education. With my art concept I´m aiming to satisfy the wearer’s desire of transformation in wearing something “new”. Inviting instead to an active involvement of a slow fashion process by agriculting a living cloth on the body itself whiles wearing it.

Håkan Lidbo - Slime Mould Chess

How does your artwork reflect synthetic biology?

The Slime Mould Chess game is a collaboration between one of the most simple intelligences on earth - and the most advanced one. Slime mould and humans. It's inspired by synthetic biology in the sense of co-creation with nature and evolution.

What is your opinion on synthetic biology?

Synthetic biology will re-define, not only natural science, medicine, humanity, nature and evolution - but also art.

Maria Euler - Being a Dove & Making Senses

How does your artwork reflect synthetic biology?

Synthetic biology will challenge us to rethink what we perceive as natural and what not. Biological cells, systems and (on a higher level) bodies could be augmented and changed. Today we mostly think about cells and bacteria with new properties. But what if we gave ourselves new abilities or senses?

What is your opinion on synthetic biology?

I believe that it has immense potential. Potential to improve human life but also to change it. To evaluate such a change is often difficult. Especially changes made on the level of biology literally become embodied and cannot but become the “new normal” once they spread. I think we have to reconsider our concept of “natural” once research has developed the ability to create synthetic biological structures. It is

natural for human beings to do what is possible and if that means to change what had been deemed the natural status quo than that will be changed. However as said, to evaluate such a change is difficult and in retrospective, it might not just be impossible to reverse it but also to think about it from an outside perspective. Therefore I think it is important to encourage discussions among experts, researchers and scientists as well as a wider audience while synthetic biology is developing and redefining what is possible. Those discussions have to be concrete in regard to specific developments that are about to be implemented, but also abstract and philosophical exploring the very notion of what it means to change the very stuff we are made of and the changing nature of our nature.

This does not mean to reject those changes, but to seriously attempt to think about the implications before, during and after the implementation.

Basstian - Mechamorphosis // Energy // Reaction

How does your artwork reflect synthetic biology?

What happens when you conspicuously alter the body structure of animals through mechanical enhancement? Mechamorphosis. Energy and Reaction represents dynamic outcomes of biological modifications.