Biology plays an increasingly pervasive role in international society and our lives—a role that artists are responding to with a diverse array of practices. Some have started to collaborate with research labs to engage with organic materials; others buy DIY biology sets reminiscent of the early computer kits of the late ´70s. All are getting their hands into the material of life itself to reflect upon some of the most complex issues society has to deal with: the integration of biotechnology in quotidian life, and the ethical, cultural, and even political consequences of scientific discovery.

Organized and moderated by Regine Debatty, blogger of we-make-money-not-art.com, this panel explorex what is commonly known as “bio-art” through presentations by artists Caitlin Berrigan, Adam Zaretsky, Brandon Ballengee, and Kathy High.