In this thesis I discuss the way art can be fruitful to the conversation about human enhancement that is sparked by the development of the genetic engineering technique called CRISPR. Drawing on...Show moreIn this thesis I discuss the way art can be fruitful to the conversation about human enhancement that is sparked by the development of the genetic engineering technique called CRISPR. Drawing on theories by Brian Massumi, Georges Bataille, Michel Serres, Rosi Braidotti, Andrew Lapworth and Karen Barad, I argue that bioart has the ability to show that our existence is in its core relational and that this awareness is of importance to an alternate scientific and ethical attitude. I relate this to artworks made by Stelarc, Adam Zaretsky, Revital Cohen, Critical Art Ensemble, Paul Vanouse, Faith Wilding, Kathy High and Eduardo Kac, and show how the agency of their material works provide different epistemological frameworks. Whereas in daily life things and phenomena are often treated as separated but clearly defined and therefore understandable entities, in the projects of these artists the complex and muddy notion of intersubjectivity as a process of becoming is centralized. The incorporation of art in discussions about technological innovations like CRISPR is therefore significant due to its focus on inclusion in contrast to methods of exclusion. The diverse viewpoints that are present in the human enhancement debate exemplify that finding the right definition of what is at stake sometimes cannot be achieved through language and representations. Instead, it has to be known through art’s affective happening in which different desires, implications and heuristic models all find their affirmation.Show less
Bio art and Do-it-yourself biology have presented themselves as ground breaking new movements of the humanities working with the life sciences. They attempt to bring the scientific debate to the...Show moreBio art and Do-it-yourself biology have presented themselves as ground breaking new movements of the humanities working with the life sciences. They attempt to bring the scientific debate to the general public, both in their own way. However, are they really that different from each other in their attempt to break the scientific status quo, and with what means do they attempt to communicate with the general public? This paper will focus on the current status of bio art and DIY biology and their interaction with the general public, and explores the role of the academics in this situation.Show less
In the last thirty years there have been increasing collaborations between artists and scientists and the reasons for this are complex and varied. Although the interaction is mostly promoted as a...Show moreIn the last thirty years there have been increasing collaborations between artists and scientists and the reasons for this are complex and varied. Although the interaction is mostly promoted as a positive and promising activity, there is also a lot of skepticism about the equality between the two sectors. There is a general problem that collaborations may become muddled by different disciplinary understandings. Therefore there seems to be a distinction between bio-art that attempts to challenge the oppressive and exploitative practices that shape the world and bio-art that functions as a form of science- advertisement. Considering these means we should pay attention to the ways in which the arts-science linkage works within our society. This study examines this distinction by focusing on the goal of bio-art according to today’s biggest bio-art competitions: The Bio Art & Design award, the Wellcome Trust arts award, the VIDA Artificial Life International Awards and the FASEB BioArt competition. By comparing their histories, their claimed intentions and their results, this study aims to create a complete overview of the competitions and the role they are playing in the world of bio-art and its development. It shows us if these competitions stimulate bio-art as being a form of advertisement or a form of critical art, which will hopefully bring us a bit closer to answering the more general question; what do we expect from the collaboration between art and science and why is it necessary?Show less
