Week 6: BioTech and Art

In this blog I’ll be looking into BioTech and Art in relation to food. The conversation surrounding GMOs has been going on for years, and the consensus is divided between people who believe food should not be genetically modified, and food should be genetically modified in certain cases where it is for the benefit of humans and not of greed. A video that has been circulating for a few years shows McDonald’s food gathering mold next to normal food. The McDonald’s burgers mold slower than the regular burger, but the fries, after two months hadn’t molded at all. This raised questions about what McDonald’s puts in their fries so that they never mold. 





Sometimes GMO food can be useful. Scientists have developed a ‘venomous cabbage’, a cabbage that is infused with scorpion poison which has been treated to not be poisonous to humans but only to animals and bugs. This is a more natural pesticide so that the cabbages will not be eaten by pests. 

The Critical Art Ensemble, led by Steve Kurtz, have done a few pieces that explore the idea of genetically modified food. In their piece ‘Molecular Invasion’, the group of artists try to grow GMO food and take a trait of adaptability and turn it into susceptibility. Another piece, ‘GenTerra', aimed at showing gallery visitors the reality of transgenics and GMO. Participants could make their own transgenic bacteria and see it close up. 


When artists critique society, there are many mediums in which we can do it in. To actually take the system that is causing the uproar and transform it into an artwork creates a provoking message. I think that CAE’s use of transgenics and GMO in their artwork creates a much needed discussion that is sure to carry on.


Images:

CAE. Molecular Invasion. Digital image. Critical Arts Ensemble. Critical Arts Ensemble, n.d. Web. 12 May 2017. <http://critical-art.net/?p=1>.

Davies, Sally. Molding McDonald's. Digital image. Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 5 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 May 2017. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/mcdonalds-happy-meal-photos-6-months_n_761364.html>.

kc kratt. Steve Kurtz. Digital image. Caltech. Caltech, 21 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2017. < http://www.caltech.edu/content/artist-talk-steve-kurtz>.


Links:

5 BioArt Pt4. Perf. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconline, 17 May 2012. Web. 12 May 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qSc72u9KhI>.

Genterra, Critical Art Ensemble, 2002 (The Arts Catalyst). Youtube. Arts Catalyst, 19 Mar 2010. Web. 12 May 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vwS74vEPFI>.

Haim, Wallace. "Critical Art Ensemble." Green Museum.org. Enterchange, n.d. Web. 12 May 2017. <http://www.greenmuseum.org/c/enterchange/artists/cae/>.

JI, Sheng Jian, Feng LIU, Er Qiu LI, and Yu Xian ZHU. "Recombinant Scorpion Insectotoxin AaIT Kills Specifically Insect Cells but Not Human Cells." Nature News. Nature Publishing Group, 01 Jan. 2002. Web. 12 May 2017. <http://www.nature.com/cr/journal/v12/n2/full/7290120a.html>.

McDonald’s Food Experiment. Youtube. Javahippo, 12 Jun. 2007. Web. 12 May 2017. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6us9kHHSNwk >.

Molecular Invasion. Perf. Steve Kurtz. Youtube. OFFICIAL DIYSECT, 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 12 May 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze1AbiOtYzw>.




Comments

  1. UnknownMay 14, 2017 at 10:11 PM

    You bring up a good point that these projects that create controversy provoke a needed discussion of where we should draw the line with transgenics. GMOs have definitely proven to hold a lot of potential to improve our lives, but manipulating nature to this level might have severe consequences. I really believe that products of transgenics must be tested thoroughly before given to the public.

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  2. UnknownMay 16, 2017 at 11:29 AM

    Great post! I really like how you covered both sides of the controversy and why they exist. On one side we see that GMO can be very harmful and unhealthy but at the same time we have scientists developing a cabbage that is infused with scorpion poison which will work as a more natural pesticide so that the cabbages will not be eaten by pests.

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  3. tedatuclaMay 18, 2017 at 2:09 PM

    I thought your topic of biotechnology in food was interesting. While I understand that people are opposed to genetic engineering in the food chain, it's increasingly necessary in order to sustain the growing human population. Your example of McDonald's is an extreme case where the engineering was used for food preservation. What are your thoughts on bioengineering in order to boost food's nutritional value?

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