Week 6: BioTech + Art

This week’s topic, biotechnology and art, involves more recent and controversial art, as living organisms are used as an artistic medium.  I found one of the more fascinating works of art discussed this week to be that of Stelarc, the man with a “third ear” implanted into his arm.  While the implanted ear was made of material commonly used in plastic surgery, his own tissue has morphed with the ear so that it is now a fully living part of his body (McCafferty).  In the future, Stelarc wishes to have a small microphone inserted into his “third ear” so that the entire world can listen in, with this worldwide connection being the artistic value that Stelarc sees in his implanted “masterpiece” (DailyMail.co.uk).

Stelarc's Third Ear

The more controversial side of BioArt comes in the genetic modification of living species, such as Kathy High’s work with transgenic mice.  High was able to genetically modify certain mice by including foreign genetic material and watch the genetic modification get passed down to the following generation (kathyhigh.com).  She did attempt to keep the mice alive for as long as possible, while treating for them with proper food and medicine, but the fact that she did genetically modify a living organism is up for ethical debate (arts.rpi.edu).

While High’s empathy towards the lab rats and her attempt to learn from the study has not come into question, the moral dilemma as to whether or not using other living creatures as an artistic medium will continue on.  I personally side on the side of science.  So as long as the study has meaningful and useful intent towards bettering the lives of humans, I do not have an ethical issue with it; however, I certainly understand both sides of the argument.

Kathy High

Kath High's Lab Rats




References:
“Artist Implants 'Third Ear' on His Own Arm.” Daily Mail Online, 11 Oct. 2007, www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-487039/Artist-implants-ear-arm.html. Accessed 13 May 2017.

“Kathy High.” Department of the Arts - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, www.arts.rpi.edu/pl/faculty-staff/kathy-high. Accessed 13 May 2017.

“Kathy High.” Exhibition Project: Becoming Animal, Becoming Human, Animal Perspectives, becoming-animal-becoming-human.animal-studies.org/html/high.html. Accessed 13 May 2017.

“Kathy High: Projects.” Kathy High, www.kathyhigh.com/projects.html. Accessed 13 May 2017.

McCafferty, Georgia. “The Man with an Ear on His Arm.” CNN, Cable News Network, 13 Aug. 2015, www.cnn.com/2015/08/13/arts/stelarc-ear-arm-art/. Accessed 13 May 2017.


Comments

  1. UnknownMay 18, 2017 at 12:44 PM

    Bioart is definitely a very controversial subject. I agree with you that as long as the study has meaningful and useful intent towards bettering the lives of humans it is acceptable; however, it is sometimes difficult to define an exact boundary between useful and not. Even something as useful to humans as GM crops is still widely disputed. And even something that was done with good intent, such as Marta De Menezes butterflies, ended up being a disaster (the butterflies had holes in their wings) because our knowledge is still limited in the field of genetics.

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