Who are biohackers? Does it refer to someone who appropriates the rapidly advancing biotechnologies, or is it someone who skillfully manipulates them to take over parts of existing regimes and systems? Then, is it only now as biotechnology has become more widespread in the general public that such a person has come into the spotlight?

As some works of the bioart show, if we understand biotechnology broadly, including food cultures such as fermentation and brewing, we can consider that human culture and technology were originally the results of biohacking. In this talk, therefore, we would like to introduce historical examples that have traversed art and science since the modern era to reconsider the figure of BioHacker with the examples from the Microbial Painting by Alexander Fleming and the Bleeding Delphinium by Edward Steichen through the Life and Death exhibits at Exploratorium to the recent practices at Bio Food Lab, School of Design, Kyushu University. By connecting these cases with our ongoing project, we would like to provide an opportunity to discuss the significance of biohacking in the present.

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Location: https://zoom.bioclub.tokyo

Language: English

Q & A: 英語 & 日本語

In collaboration with Faculty of Design, Kyushu University

This talk is part of the BioHack Academy 2022

Organizer: Georg Tremmel / BCL