bioart

Bioart is a practice at the intersection of biology and art, using living organisms, cells, tissues, and biotechnologies to explore life and its societal implications. Works may be installations, performances, or objects produced through biological processes. The field raises questions about authorship, ethics, and the boundaries between art and science.

The term gained prominence in the late 1990s. Notable projects include Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny, a rabbit expressing a fluorescent protein, which sparked debate about animal ethics and biotechnology in art. SymbioticA in Perth, founded by Oron Catts and Ionat Fischman, has been a leading site for laboratory-based artistic inquiry. Early tissue-culture works, such as Victimless Leather, used living cells to create leather-like objects.

Techniques include tissue culture, genetic modification, bioprinting, and microbial art. Works may be time-based installations or interactive pieces, often made in collaboration with scientists, and examine themes of life, manipulation, and responsibility.

Bioart engages ethical and regulatory issues, including safety, environmental risk, and intellectual property. Critics question representation of living beings and potential risks, while supporters see it as a lens for public discourse on biotechnology. Museums, festivals, and educational programs have helped institutionalize the field.

Notable centers and figures include SymbioticA and Eduardo Kac, among a growing international community of artist-scientist practitioners. Bioart remains a dynamic field that challenges traditional boundaries between life and culture.