Art's Work in the Age of Biotechnology

Book excerpt: Evolution has gotten us this far. Design may take it from here. Aimed at raising awareness about genetic engineering, biotechnologies, and their consequences through the lens of art and design, Art's Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Shaping Our Genetic Futures is an art-science exhibition curated by Hannah Star Rogers and organized by the NC State University Libraries and the Genetic Engineering and Society Center, and shown at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design, in the physical and digital display spaces of the Libraries, and on the grounds of the North Carolina Museum of Art. By combining science and art and design, artists offer new insights about genetic engineering by bringing it out of the lab and into public places to challenge viewers' understandings about the human condition, the material of our bodies, and the consequences of biotechnology. Exhibition participants include Kirsten Stolle, Paul Vanouse, Adam Zaretsky, Joe Davis, Emilia Tikka, Emeka Ikebude, Jennifer Willet, Charlotte Jarvis, Maria McKinney, Ciara Redmond, Aaron Ellison, David Buckley Borden, Joel Ong, and others.