ITA ENG

Interview with Jennifer Willet and Shawn Bailey of “Bioteknica” Francesca Ezzelino

Contemporary art is so fascinating because it manifests itself in endless ways. A very interesting one is ‘Bioteknica’, a project founded by artists Shawn Bailey and Jennifer Willet in 2000, in order to investigate the issues related to biotechnology and genetic developments.

As they believe concrete information about these topics is fundamental for the growth of a public debate, the methods they use to create their artworks are incredibly close to those of scientific researchers; in fact they constantly deal with cells and are able to produce ‘organic sculptures’.

None of you has a scientific background; how and why did you get involved with biotechnologies and genetic research? Which was the main drive? Maybe challenging the limits imposed by nature?

We came to this research trajectory through many channels.

We have both had an interest in science and medicine for many years ­ for both personal and academic reasons.

For example, Shawn Bailey was originally enrolled in undergraduate level science courses when he started university. He considered working towards becoming a medical doctor ­ but was drawn to finishing his degree in the arts because of art history courses he took.

Both of us (Bailey and Willet) spent three years working in a gross anatomy lab drawing anatomical cadavers.

On a more personal lever, we have both experienced the death of close loved ones ­ and witnessed the intersection of natural, human, biological drives ­ with the biomedical health system. These experiences gave us a personal, invested understanding of the complexities offered up by evolving medical and biological technologies.

Over the years, as our practices were drawn further and further into these domains ­ we conducted more and more research in the field ­ reading specialized journals and textbooks on related topics. Attending lectures, museums, etc.

Lastly, we have recently completed two residencies at SymbioticA the Art and Science Collaborative Research Laboratory, in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology at The University of Western Australia ­ where we have learned a number of biotechnological protocols ­ and related theoretical and health and safety information. During our time in Perth we have focused on gaining a hands on experience of tissue culture and tissue engineering technologies working with the founders of TC&A (Tissue Culture & Art) founders Ionat Zurr and Oron Catts.

Now, we are engaged in an interdisciplinary critical participatory relationship with evolving biotechnologies. Though we did perform a genetic modification of bacteria to express the GFP gene ­ this is not the focus of our project - our current project (Teratological Prototypes) is primarily engaged with Tissue Culture technologies.

Lastly, we are fortunate enough to be working on the Teratological Prototypes in collaboration with Tissue Culture & Art Project (artists: Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr). These artists have a decade of Tissue Culture experience under their belts ­ and have been very generous in sharing their specialized knowledge.

How did you scientifically prepare yourselves in order to deal with such issues?

As I said, we have spent a lot of time reading specialized scientific, and industry publications. However, the most important preparation is the hands on experience we have gained so far in the labs at SymbioticA. It is impossible to have a full understanding of what is at stake with a given technology from only reading second or third order texts describing the field. So our best preparation ­ is in the actual practice of scientific protocols ­ in a controlled and supportive environment like SymbioticA.

Biotechnologies and experiments on human body have always been at the heart of discussion; did you receive lots of critiques, as you use the same methods to create your artworks?

Yes and No.

Overall, people have been very interested and supportive of our work.

However, BIOTEKNICA is interested in generating a critical participatory relationship with these technologies. How can we possibly produce informed complex criticism of something we have only ever read about? Instead, we choose to gain first order experience of this specialized field.

Some times people are made afraid and/or uncomfortable by the work we do ­ but we are very open to this reaction. In fact, we see BIOTEKNICA as creating an opportunity for non-specialists to engage critically with evolving biotechnologies through our ‘wet’ production ­ and wish for our viewers to come to their own conclusions about the topic at hand ­ even if it means they will ultimately reject our artistic and interventionist strategies.

Among the most controversial aspects of our recent work is our decision to engage directly in the tools and techniques of scientific enquiry in the production of our artwork. While we understand this concern, we believe that only through a hands-on experience of the subject that we seek to critique, can we have a clearer understanding.

Do you think there should be more widely accessible information about developments of genetic experiments?

Certainly.

We consider ourselves to be activists and cultural workers towards the democratization of the biotechnological sphere in all its incarnations. Science belongs to us all ­ and we wish to foster and support open access to the knowledge, protocols, and benefits that this line of research can offer humanity. Conversely, emerging technologies must be subject to rigorous public scrutiny and debate, particularly with the ongoing introduction of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) into the ecosphere.

We are also concerned about the widespread introduction of DNA analysis and tracking through biometrics. There is an alarming potential for abuse here. In light of the eugenicist orientation of much recent development (especially by western capitalist nations), we must all seek information and participate in a public debate as to their introduction into social and political policy.

How do you concretely show the possible risks involved in genetic research and your own doubts when you realize your artworks?

It is important to realize that while we have some minimal exposure to the protocols based in genetic research, the focus of our current work is concerned with overall questions pertaining to the biological sciences in general, and tissue culture in specific ­ ethical, political, commercial, philosophical and aesthetic ramifications.

Genetic research certainly does present very real risks ­ some of which are ecological, social and political. BIOTEKNICA attempts to pinpoint some of these concerns as we understand them, and represent them in a way that invites public scrutiny ­ for example, through representing the trend towards corporate control of these significant technologies ­ BIOTEKNICA begs the audience to ask why?

Can you talk about your current project, “Teratological Prototypes”?

Teratological Prototypes is an international art/science collaborative research initiative developed by BIOTEKNICA Shawn Bailey and Jennifer Willet (Canada) and the Tissue Culture and Art Project (TC&A) Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr (Australia). This project is the logical extension both group’s ongoing research. With Teratological Prototypes, BIOTEKNICA and TC&A are working to grow a series of tissue culture sculptures based on the model of the teratoma. The Teratological Prototypes are seeded with the P19 mouse teratoma cell line and serve as the next logical incarnation of the BIOTEKNICA product line. These works will be exhibited live in the gallery settings at multiple venues ­ with a debut in ISEA 2006 San Jose.

In your opinion, what are people looking for when they approach your artworks?

We cannot presume to understand what people are looking for when approaching our work. However, we can assess the circumstances under which people come in contact with BIOTEKNICA. BIOTEKNICA is multi faceted ­ and interfaces with the public at a number of sites ­ including our website (www.bioteknica.org) ­ the gallery setting ­ public space ­ and nightlife venues. These different environments affect how BIOTEKNICA is read ­ and the expectations of the viewer.

Additionally, we do not presume to tell our viewers what to believe in regards to evolving biotechnologies in general and BIOTEKNICA in specific. We wish for them to have their own set of reflections as they engage various aspects of the installation. We hope to provoke thoughtful contemplation in our viewers. We definitely do not seek to propagandize. However, the initial basis of our work was to identify and critique various layers of propaganda and dominant ideologies in our work through a stance of exposure and examination of contemporary technologies.

Have you ever wondered if your works can really be considered products of art or maybe they are something else? In other words, where is the boundary between art and science?

There certainly is a boundary between art and science. For us it is not in the tools, or the protocols, but in the methodology ­ and expectations. We use the term ‘soft experimentation’ to describe our relationship with science. The principle of ‘soft experimentation’ best encapsulates our dual roles as students or devotees of “hard” science, and the liquid, subjective, and expressive potential of scientific tools as artistic media. A major difference is the objective of deploying all the necessary failures from our immersive laboratory practice into (hopefully) triggering an engaging reflexive critical moment for the viewers of our artworks.

http://01sj.org/content/view/560/146/