William Myers

In our age of fast-paced biotechnological progress and humans increasing impact on the environment the autonomy of nature has come into question. We can now engineer living things, blur the biological distinctions between humans and animals, and influence parts of our world that we cannot see such as DNA and genes. These discoveries and far-reaching developments have created fertile ground for artistic expression. This book reveals the ways in which the work of bio artists offers new meanings for our lives in the wake of scientific discovery, as well as new frameworks for describing them. Four thematic chapters cover the key areas in which biotechnology has had an impact on today's world, including ecology, biomedicine, designer genomes and evolutionary theory, profiling the work of 60 artists, collectives and organizations from countries including France, Germany, the US, the Netherlands, Mexico and Japan. Interviews with eight bio artists and technologists, including Arne Hendriks, Mark Dion, Boo Chapple, Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Raphael Kim, provide a deeper insight into the ideas and methods of this new breed of creative practitioner.

Bioluminescent algae, symbiotic aquariums, self-healing concrete, clavicle wind instruments and structures made from living trees - biology applied outside the lab has never been so intriguing, or so beautiful. Bio Design examines the thrilling advances in the field, showcasing some seventy projects (concepts, prototypes and completed designs) that cover a range of fields - from architecture and industrial design to fashion and medicine. The revised and expanded edition features twelve new projects (replacing ten existing projects): Hy-Fi (by David Benjamin); One Central Park, Sydney (Jean Nouvel); Guard from Above (Sjoerd Hoogendoorn); Cell-laden Hydrogels for Biocatalysis (Alshakim Nelson); Zoa (Modern Meadow); Amino Labs (Julie Legault); Algae and Mycelium Projects (Eric Klarenbeek); Interwoven and Harvest (Diane Scherer); Concrete Honey (John Becker); Bistro In Vitro (Koert van Mensvoort); Circumventive Organs (Agi Haines); Quantworm Mine (Liv Bargman and Nina Cutler). It also includes a new 'how-to' section at the end (Tips for Collaboration/FAQs/Further Resources), as well as a fully revised introduction.