Cells, Organisms, and the Living Brain as New Media for Art

Abstract

Throughout art history numerous artists have explored connections to science. In the society of today, the relationship between art and biology has been acquiring special visibility. Moreover, the current importance given to science and technology by today's public opinion directly drives an increased awareness about the relationship between art and science. The public eagerly follows any breakthroughs of scientific research that reach the public sphere, with mixed feelings: simultaneously awe, hope, and fear for potential misuse. Such awareness about biological sciences and biotechnology has been having an increasing influence over artists, with a strong emphasis on the biological sciences. Nowadays, the position of artists as mere interpreters and observers is obsolete, and is reminiscent of a time before the term “science” was created. Now the artist is no longer a passive observer of the scientific research, but does not quite fit the current definition of a basic science researcher. The artist is, rather, an art researcher. This particular position, has been developed within the academic environment and within a growing and trendy artscience community. It has led to the development of strategies to promote the exploration of research possibilities deriving from a cross-talk between artists and scientists. While art and science seems to be establishing itself as a new art practice, as a research field it has been rooted on the timeless investigation strategy of science (as interpreted by artists) in order to develop its own new methods of practice, new media and installation strategies, and new ways to manipulate the materials for artistic expression. Art and Science (and especially art and biology) is itself, in my view, a great example for the setting of brackets to the field of art research.