Contemporary DNA Art - Essay Example

Contemporary DNA Art Q Background Information of DNA Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg was born in 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is an artist that deals in the production items that intersects between science and art. She attended Bennington College as an information arts student. His interest in DNA art developed because of her participation in computer classes. She later learned to use electronics, algorithms, and computer programming. The artist graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree but continued to refine her artistic work, as well as her programming skills. Her curiosity for computer programming skills caused her to explore the question concerning the creativity of computers. As a result, she developed an autonomous face generating and categorizing software, with which she gave unique presentations of the human face. The artist produces and displays artworks from DNA extracts of people from leftovers of substances such as cigarettes, chewing gums, and other items. Her work depicts the importance of scientific approaches to art. For instance, Dewey-Hagborg uses computer and laboratory technology to generate 3-D images of people from the extracts that she collects from public places. This work reviews one of her artistic pieces of work called Stranger Visions, which lasted from 2012 to 2014. Q 2 Structure and Function of the DNA Highlighted In Strange Visions The portrait reveals a scientific approach to human identity and the fact that the DNA codes represent genetic information of individuals. Precisely, the DNA is a carrier of genetic information concerning information and technology can decode the information to reveal identities of people. Strange Visions is a collection of portraits that the artist made from an assembly of DNA information from collected specimen of individuals. The portraits reveal that the DNA is found in people’s bodies. Its transmission is through anything that an individual comes in conduct with. At the same time, the work indicates that many people do not have the consciousness that they leave trails of their genetic information in almost all the places they visit. Another aspect of the DNA in the artwork is the fact that it provides essential information on crime detection. For instance, there are possibilities of constructing the exact identities of individuals from an analysis of collected specimens from a crime scene. For such a reason, the artist drives a sense of caution in individuals because she confirms through her work that tracking crime is that easy. For example, the art reveals all the facial aspects of the individuals from which she collects her specimen. Q 3 The Circumstances and Audience in Which the Art Showcased Strange visions appeared in the Washington Cyber in securities Project for arts in which it was among the exhibited pieces of artwork. For this case, the entire public viewed from the Pepco Edison Place Gallery. The artist hoped to use the piece of work to challenge the public and the government on the possibilities of misusing DNA samples, as well as the ethics of the human genome. During the exhibition, Dewey-Hagborg narrated the fact that she produced several images of the same person but chosen the one with the most appealing artistic effects. Therefore, her art serves two purposes, which are entrainment and education. During the exhibition, the artist explained that many people are always unconscious of the junks of information that they live behind, most of which could sell them away. She also wanted to raise the awareness of the pubic concerning the possible uses of the DNA. Q 4 The Larger Impact of the Artwork The work attracted attention across the entire nation because of the impact it generated among the public and national security agencies. For this case, the work drew attention of the public because it evoked feelings that their safety was at bay (Gambino 1). Many of those who commented on the work concluded that the work gave them the fear of being stalked. As such, the national security agencies were quick to respond by assuring the public that such arts do not compromise their levels of security. As the debate on the levels of security of the people ensued, the work acted as a stimulant to improved efforts by the government to ensure proper safety of its citizens by protection of fundamental information databases. Many people learned that the US did not have consistent state laws that governed the protection of biostatistics of individuals. Q 5 Controversial Aspects of Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s Work Strange visions attracted criticism concerning whether or not the work violated both legal and ethical principles of the nation. The question that lingered was the distinction between the rights that the artist had to express her ideas and the collection of personal genetic information of people without their consent (Gambino 1). There was an argument that the fact that the DNA translates in all places the individuals visit does not mean that the same individuals relinquish their interest concerning the use of such information. Unlike the US, the UK has stringent laws that govern the collection and usage of personal biological data by private individuals. For instance, the Human Tissue Act (2004) does not allow private organizations to collect and use biological information in any situation (Human Tissue Authority 1). However, in the US, such rules do not have much prominence especially in the states, and there are no defined lines barring private usage of the information (Gambino 1). Another criticism was that relating to the increasing prominence of do-it-yourself biohacking technologies. Most of the people opposed to the movement fear the fact that the experiments would result in fear of unexpected consequences. There are those who developed the fear that such programs would lead to discrimination that may be a result of medical records. Others feared unreasonable enforcements for DNA searches on individuals. Consequently, questions of ethics of human research and the interaction of the law were the primary causes of the controversies. Q 6 Why the Piece of Art Drew My Attention Art is a representation of human thought in ways that appeal to the interested parties. Strange visions attracted my attention because I wanted to understand how the artist managed to decode genetic material of individuals and produce exact images of the responsive individuals. The fact that the artist developed a software that deals in the identification people’s faces is also very interesting to me. The piece of art gave me a feeling that art could serve as a way of tracking crime instead of overspending on governmental procedures for the same processes. It got me thinking that such pieces of work represented high levels of creativity for which the artist needed copyright protection. I also wanted to understand if there were any controversial claims on the art because it represented critical aspects of private human life. For this case, the piece of artwork evoked feelings of fear in me especially after considering the need for the protection of biodata. Therefore, I wanted to analyze the controversies that the work received in a way that would teach me concerning the legal and ethical framework for such arts. Q 7 How I Would Build Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s Imagery If I were the artist, I would consider that there is a need to stay right to my work and avoid any graphics that would alter the images of the identified faces. I would do so because of the concern that some people have regarding the manipulation of biodata. I would also stick to originality by introducing portraits of full-bodied individuals. In my opinion, such a step would create a better understanding of the identified persons and make my work more attractive. Works Cited Gambino, Megan. Creepy or Cool? Portraits Derived From the DNA in Hair and Gum Found in Public Places. Smithsonian.com. May 3, 2013. Web. March 27, 2015. . Human Tissue Authority (HTA). Human Tissue Act 2004. July 2010. Web. March 27, 2015 Read More