Artists continue to push the boundaries of what they produce and label as art. This desire to progress has led to incorporating living organisms into their work. Biotechnology allows scientists to learn how certain products affect the body on a cellular level and how they may apply this knowledge to improve life. Joe Davis was the first man to incorporate this practice with artistic pursuance. He defined this manipulation of life as a form of expression.
In a more literal representation, the incorporation of florescence within animals not known for glowing, allowed artists to label the product of scientific research as art. This was done by taking the gene from a jellyfish, that allows for its florescent properties, and inserting it into a fertilized rabbit egg cell. The gene enters the rabbit's DNA and is reproduced as the cell multiplies. This use of florescence is applicable for research purposes as the gene can be used as a tag to show when certain proteins are being active within an organism, respectively.
The labeling of life as art comes about, due to the reforming of the body's characteristics. There is a great appeal in a glowing household pet. The florescent rabbit works as a modern day version of Duchamp's ready-made's in that an artist recognizes the efforts of another individual and labels the product as art. Like the era of Duchamp, it is quite controversial today to call a living organism art.
Sources:
1. Duchamp, Marcel. "Fountain" Sculpture, Porcelain. 1917, replica 1964. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
2. Alien Disclosure Group (UK) "Scientists Create Cloned Glow-in-the-dark Rabbits" Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
3.Essaidi, Jalila. "Joe Davis: The Mad Scientist of MIT?" Blog, Bioartlab. 21 Oct. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
4. Vesna, Victoria. "5 bioart pt1 1280x720" Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 18 Sep. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
5.Vesna, Victoria. "5 bioart pt2" Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 May. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
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