Week 6 | BioTech + Art | Maya Srinivasan

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The topic for this week, biotechnology and art, is highly controversial and has a multitude of ethical implications. Joe Davis, who is named the pioneer of bio-art, was one of the first individuals to actively seek out scientists to help him combine genomes with his artwork (Vesna). Since then, there have been various pieces of art that coincide with biotechnology; these pieces have led to many conversations regarding the morals of using animals for artwork. 


Alba, the GFP Bunny

Chicago artist Eduardo Kac is famously known for his project, GFP Bunny, in which he "injected green fluorescent protein (GFP) of a Pacific Northwest jellyfish into the fertilized egg of an albino rabbit" (Genome News Network). His creation blended the worlds of biology and art, resulting in a creature that was unlike anything anyone had seen before. Alba was truly unique, but not everyone was appreciative of this project. Kac's work was met with some pushback from animal rights and religious groups, as they "denounced [Kac] for exploiting the animal and tampering with nature" (Dierks). I believe the comments from these groups can also be applied to practices such as animal cloning. 


Animal Cloning Process Explained 

The act of cloning an animal is controversial for many reasons, but one of the most prevalent arguments against this phenomenon is the fact that these animals go through pain and suffering. While humans are focused on creating pieces of technology or art, they rarely take into account the feelings an animal may experience while undergoing particular experiments.  The Pharma Innovation Journal notes that "suffering of the cloned animals comes under narrow effect of cloning," highlighting the fact that these creatures are often viewed as objects rather than living beings (Mishra et al. 842). Some more specific examples of the types of pain these animals may endure during the cloning process are abnormal pregnancies for mothers, painful C-sections, extremely short lifespans for offspring, and unexpected/sudden development of life-threatening health issues (ConnectUS). 


A dog and human "holding hands" 

Essentially, this begs the question of whether or not human beings have a right to exploit animals for our own bidding. Personally, I believe that there should be limits to human creativity as animals deserve the same respect that humans give one another. We are not superior because of our ability to use language or think in creative aspects; each organism on this planet deserves to be treated with kindness and dignity.   

References: 

Dierks, Carrie. “Glowing Bunny Sparks International Controversy.” Biology News, Oct. 2000, https://www.ekac.org/bionews.html. 

Editor in Chief. “24 Animal Cloning Pros and Cons.” ConnectUS, 26 Nov. 2018, https://connectusfund.org/24-animal-cloning-pros-and-cons. 

Genome News Network. “Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac.” GNN - Genome News Network, 29 Mar. 2002, http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml. 

Heart-Mind Online. “Animals as Human Connectors.” Heart-Mind Online, Dalai Lama Center For Peace and Education, 6 Apr. 2021, https://heartmindonline.org/resources/animals-as-human-connectors. 

Mishra , Prasanta Kumar, et al. “Animal Cloning: Art and Ethics .” The Pharma Innovation, The Pharma Journal , 2018, https://www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2018/vol7issue7/PartN/7-7-97-511.pdf. 

Murayama, Satomi Angelika. “Op-Ed: The Dangers of Cloning.” Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, University of California, Berkeley, 11 May 2020, https://funginstitute.berkeley.edu/news/op-ed-the-dangers-of-cloning/. 

Vesna , Victoria. “5 Bioart PT1 1280X720.” YouTube, UC Online, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaThVnA1kyg. 

Zimmer, Marc. “Green Fluorescent Protein.” Green Fluorescent Protein , 2020, https://www.conncoll.edu/ccacad/zimmer/GFP-ww/cooluses8.html. 



Comments

  1. amaan-hassanali-DESMA9May 4, 2022 at 3:07 PM

    When I clicked on your blog, I was certainly flabbergasted by the image of the glowing bunny. While I have seen my fair share of unconventional animals such as the zedonk (crossbreed of the zebra and donkey) and the angler fish (scary-looking creature from the depths of the ocean), seeing a glowing bunny is definitely something out of the cartoons. Sometimes, I'm truly taken aback by how far technology has come, and I think that art has largely inspired this progress. Thus far in this course, one defining trait about art has been mentioned time and time again: imagination. Artists have long tried to imagine and capture that which is out of the box. Scientists - who are essentially artists in their own right - have long tried to explain various phenomena. In doing so, these to groups have come up with a whole new realm of things such as the cloning of animals that you noted above. While innovative, you also mentioned the controversy surrounding Kac's project and cloning in general, which I think is a very good and valid point. I mean, achieving the extraordinary is an amazing goal but can and should we really compromise our morals to make it happen? If so, to what extent should our "testing" go? These are big questions that are always debated when referring to such topics. In my opinion, I believe discovery necessitates sacrifice, but before making these sacrifices, we, as humans, should carefully consider the consequences of our actions. As author Sarah Addison Allen puts it: "Men of thoughtless actions are always surprised by consequences." To conclude, I'd like to thank you for your post. It really brings to light a lot of important issues innate in the conversation about science, art and ethics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 4, 2022 at 10:49 PM

    I totally agree with your points. As humans we have a tendency to view ourselves as superior to other creatures, but I don't believe that this is a healthy mindset. It makes us believe that we can exploit other creatures (and the planet) for personal gains. I was wondering what your thoughts were on the use of animals in scientific research? Is this use of them more acceptable because it can lead to advances in medicine that can save the lives of many people? Personally I still go back and forth on my answer. This is such an interesting topic because it is so difficult to determine when the use of animals for biology, technology, and art is acceptable and when it is unacceptable/unethical. Great post!

    ReplyDelete

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