iGEM Community

About

The iGEM Arts Gallery aims to build an annual bioart exhibition to show projects from people around the world (virtual and in-person). We want to promote new and well-established artists and their creations as a manifest, which impacts a specific social-cultural theme integrating SynBio.

Description

The project aims to bring disruptive perspectives of individuals and communities, and invites them to convene and express their ideas on topics at the interface of Arts, Biology & Society through art.

The first Arts Gallery was established in 2022 with a seuquel in 2023. Currently, it has evolved into a crash course and space for people interested in art, technology, and biology to develop their artistic side.

The project aims at developing an exhibition and artworks for a specific theme in which iGEMers can explore expression by incorporating their knowledge to present their creations physically or virtually during the iGEM Grand Jamboree. As we build our way up to the event we invite you to connect with us and imagine the possibilities and visions of integrating synthetic biology as art.

Events

This year, we are inviting speakers from the biocreative community on topics such as bioart, biofuturism, biodesign, bioarchitecture, and other creative fields integrating biology and creativity.

Biocreators Open Talk #3

The third online session took place on Saturday, November 30th at 15:00 UTC, and was presented by (1) Selenia Marinelli, a bio-architect, independent researcher, and material activist specializing in biofabrication and multispecies coexistence in architecture, (2) Dana Molzhigit, a biodesigner, researcher, and innovator. She works as a senior lecturer and researcher at SDU University and (3) Hana Cvelbaris an award-winning biotechnology scientist who graduated from University College London (UCL) currently working at the Centre of Excellence for Biosensors, Instrumentation and Process Control (COBIK).

Biocreators Open Talk #2

The second online session took place on Saturday, July 13th at 15:00 UTC, and was presented by Elaine Regina and Sarah Khan.

Biocreators Open Talk #1

The first online session took place on Saturday, June 1st at 15:00 UTC, and was presented by Edson Reyna and Carlos Silveira.

iGEM BioArts Lab: Information & Ideation Workshop

In collaboration with SynBio Canvas, we hosted the "iGEM BioArts Lab: Information & Ideation" Workshop at the 2023 and 2024 iGEM Grand Jamborees! aimed to enhance the interaction between BioArt projects and the greater iGEM community. The iGEM Arts Lab is an interactive event that both introduced the world of BioArt and stimulated iGEMers to think outside of the box, letting imagination and collaboration work together to create a proposal for a BioArt project they would love to build. Learn more about how the SynBio Community came together at the 2023 iGEM Grand Jamboree...

note

Recruitment is currently closed! You can connect with us on Slack ↗ for more information!

2023 Theme: Lake of Memories

Since the dawn of the universe, entropy has steadily increased, reshaping reality in both beneficial and detrimental ways. Yet, navigating a world fraught with complexities such as war, poverty, disorder, prejudice, and inequality threatens to overshadow our cherished memories and disrupt the delicate equilibrium. The concept of the Lake of Memories serves as a poignant symbol of our interconnected consciousness, each ripple representing experiences we've once lived. In an effort to reignite our minds with the warmth of positive recollections, we've enlisted the talents of bioartists, biodesigners, and innovative creators who harness the power of biology. Together, they present projects that explore the passage of 'Time' as a conduit for reviving and preserving the essence of these cherished memories.

Featured Artists

Behnam Farahani, Carlos Silveira, Fahmeeda Osman & Viola Arduini, iGEM Biomakers, Lin Yu-yu, Sandra Kyrkjebø, Suzanne Anker, Yermagambetova Aigerim T., iGEM NU-Kazakhastan team.

2022 Theme: Hope By Nature - A Dream World Inspired By Hope

We're exploring the intersection of art, design, and biology. We create experiences for the iGEM community focused on researching, creating, and exhibiting artistic narratives of synthetic biology and its intersections with other disciplines, philosophies, and approaches.For our first endeavor, we introduce Hope By Nature, an experience that will take its first space virtually and grow and evolve to the physical world.

How do we envision a dream world inspired by hope? How can biology and nature repair, build bridges, close gaps, and nurture communities for the future of our dreams? How do you portray the realities of synthetic biology for the future ? Your artwork can explore HOPE through different approaches like communication, collaboration, conservation, and restoration. We want to see how you take this approach for your artwork narrative to create the “sign of hope” that builds and represents our dreamland future through synthetic biology and nature.

The virtual gallery is an initiative from the bioart group, a digital place to reflect on how creative people try to communicate and express new ideas integrating biology and expose ideas from all the community in order to establish an important outreach of this study field. We want to make accessible for all iGEMers their participation in the Jamboree, and even if they are not going to attend, this space will be available for them to explore during the Jamboree days and further.

In the end, it's an open space for every curious person who wants to know more about what people around the world are doing creatively with nature, and can be reused for the next Jamborees.

Featured Artists

Alejandra Velázquez, Audrey Rangel Aguirre, Behnam Farahani, Carlos Silveira, chaleco.demono, CybeRabbit, Cynthia Wong, D3!GO, GermJuggler, Luis Fernando Contreras Valtierra, NYCU_Formosa, Tetei Cornejo.