BioTech + Art
Artistic expression has always been know to push the envelope of other societal norms, including, physics ethics and biotechnology. There only exists a very fine line between an inspirational piece of artwork and a piece that others may find offensive or unethical. With recent advances in modern biotechnology, art can now take place in the unexpected forum of genetics. Weather or not it is considered ethical, life forms, plant or animal, are valid expressive mediums for art. I believe restrictions should be slightly more stringent fro artists using biotechnology than scientific uses. Tampering with the genetics of living being should be closely monitored because of the vast potential for unexpected consequences that science may not be able to predict. Altering a life forms genetic make up simply for artistic expression creates a risky situation where the harm caused to the animal may out weigh any possible benefit. An example of this, as mentioned in this weeks lectures, is Marta De Menezes' work modifying the wing color-patterns of live butterflies. This work was conducted through the artistic laboratory SymbioticA, world famous for its work combining life sciences and art. While the pattern and color change adds artistic value, many of the butterflies ended up getting holes in their wings, leaving the beautiful creatures with critical ailments. This specific case may seem like a small mater in the events of the world as a whole, but letting living be genetically altered for looks alone may open the door to more detrimental situations in the future.
References
Brakefield, Paul. "Projects." Marta De Menezes. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.
Jonas, Hans. "Ethics and Biogenetic Art." JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.
Otaki, Joji M., and Haruhiko Yamamoto. "Color-pattern Modifications and Speciation in Butterflies of the Genus Vanessa and Its Related Genera Cynthia and Bassaris." BioOne. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.
Ormandy, Elisabeth H., Julie Dale, and Gilly Griffin. “Genetic Engineering of Animals: Ethical Issues, Including Welfare Concerns.” The Canadian Veterinary Journal 52.5 (2011): 544–550. Print.
"SymbioticA." : The University of Western Australia. The University of Western Australia, n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.
I was highly impressed with your line, "There only exists a very fine line between an inspirational piece of artwork and a piece that others may find offensive or unethical." I think that in modern society, science and art have both progressed towards experimentation with technology, and often the result is experimentation with genetics and life. Many scientific experiments that make headlines today concern the alteration of genetics and have an influence on biological life. I think it's important to remember that while some artistic and scientific experiments can be beneficial, others can have a negative effect on their subjects and on the society that views them.
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