Biotech + Art

Biotechnology is currently a common technology which defines as using of living organisms and systems to create a new product and modify existing product. Genetic modified food is a familiar example of biotechnology to us. It seems have no direct relations with art but actually it is able to link to art and create different products, which is definitely crucial to our life. 

The use of transgenics, mutilatioin, mutation, recominance or selective breading exemplify the relationship between biotechnology and art. It indicates the inherence between them. For example, selective breeding is an obvious example of an artificial selection and artistic technique that human particularly to breed the animals and plants. Selective breeding is not a brand new technology but has been applied for many plants and animals traits. In my perspective, there are no limits to human creativity. Human has unlimited creativity and intelligence, which is the reason why human keep improving their living standard and invented diverse technology. 

The article that inspired me the most is “ Artists challenge conventional classifications”, which primarily described the improbable mix of animal, plant and fungus by artistic and scientific and artistic developments. It mentioned how biotechnology and art together influence our relationships and social structures. I am impressed when the writer described the scientific development. Ellen said Woese has discovered a new technology to identify RNA, which can be used to compare with all organisms. Woese also emphasize on combination of organic and mechanical parts. Other than Woese, author also introduced many scientists that contribute to improving our living environment. For artistic research, author has mentioend Artist John F. Simon Jr. who invented some fundamental concepts to influence our life. He created a digital system to stimulate some of the evolutionary dynamics in biological system. Another artists Ray also combined artificial evolution into biological processes. It is a great progress that art is able to interact with science technology and create a better life our human beings. I think it sufficiently demonstrate how art and biotechnology can be combined together, which deepen my understanding of biotechnology and art. At first, biotechnology is an ambiguous concept to me but now I understand more about it. Additionally, i think it is more correlated to our daily life, which is why it is more influential to me.  

Genereally, biotechnology certainly promote our life to a higher living standard and quality, When it interact with artistic technique, it creates better scientific product, which is extremely beneficial to our society, regardless of social or economic aspects. There are both pros and cons for improvement of biotechnology, it is able to bring us several advantages as long as we are able to make use of it. 

sources:
1. What is biotechnology <http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/biot/what/index_new.shtml>
2. Background on food biotechnology <http://www.foodinsight.org/Background_on_Food_Biotechnology>
3. how artists are bending biotechnology and art <http://www.foodinsight.org/Background_on_Food_Biotechnology>
4. The role of biotechnology in art preservation <http://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/abstract/S0167-7799%2805%2900272-6>
5. Genetic modified food pros and cons <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/genetically-modified-foods-pros-and-cons.html>