By Tom McLaughlin
Art is in the eye of the beholder. But art made from DNA and living cells? Like it or not, says LiQin Tan, we are only at the beginning of a revolutionary fusion of art and living organisms.
Tan notes that his book looks toward the future to consider how technological singularitys impact on conceptual and live bioart raises many thought-provoking and sometimes controversial issues.
The Rutgers UniversityCamden artist and researcher explains that the future of bioart art conceptualizing and/or incorporating biological elements will continue to be impacted by technology at a meteoric rate.
This is where art is going; no one can escape it, says the art professor matter-of-factly.
Tan explores the unchartered world of bioart in his new book, Singularity: Subversive BioArt (Guangdong Peoples Publishing House).
The book is a follow-up to his 2018 offering, Singularity Art: How Technology Singularity Will Impact Art (China Machine Press), which explores the impact of technological singularity, the notion that artificial superintelligence will trigger runaway technological growth, resulting in previously unforeseen changes to human civilization.
Some people want to panic when they consider, for instance, art that merges living organisms with inanimate materials, says Tan. Of course, we always fear everything new.
The RutgersCamden artist explains that there are two definitions as to what constitutes bioart. The first is live art, which uses genes, DNA, bacterium, algae, and living cells to create artworks.
For instance, some artists are using DNA to create transgenic genetically modified plants and animals, says Tan, citing the work of artist Eduarto Kac, who combined rabbit and jellyfish DNA to produce a bunny that glows green under blue light.
In another example, he notes, artist Li Shan changed the genes of pumpkins, resulting in the vegetables growing in an array of different shapes and sizes.
The RutgersCamden artist focused his art on ink-brush drawing on rice paper before being introduced to computers in the early 1990s.
Tan explains that, although biologists will alter DNA for scientific purposes for example, altering a vegetable to make it heartier or to taste better artists change genes with artistic concepts or metaphors in mind.
For instance, artists may try to represent social or political issues, says Tan, who adds that it is still against international standards to change human embryo DNA. People will ask, Why do you create? Its because artists need to express themselves.
The other form, says Tan, is called general bioart, which includes anything made from biological elements or symbolizing bio concepts. For instance, he says, a bioart installation may use computer animation to make cells move.
Some people would argue that this isnt bioart, but others agree that it is because it presents biological movement and elements regardless of whether they are living or still, he says.
Tan describes how he created a conceptual bioart installation wherein he grew plants on the top of large central processing units the electrical circuitry of computer systems in the shape of a square. The creation didnt use soil and relied on humidity in the air.
My main concept is that the Earths soil is not the only mother carrier of the plant, says Tan, who, for more than two decades, focused his art on ink-brush drawing on rice paper before being introduced to computers in the early 1990s. CPU technology has the potential to replace it gradually. In other words, technology would be the carrier of life evolution in the near future.
The RutgersCamden artist notes that, while previous books have defined and explored bioart, design, and education, his book looks toward the future to consider how technological singularitys impact on conceptual and live bioart raises many thought-provoking and sometimes controversial issues.
Tans 2018 book explores the impact of technological singularity, the notion that artificial superintelligence will trigger runaway technological growth, resulting in previously unforeseen changes to human civilization.
Among these points of discussion, Tan shares his personal philosophy that, as an artist and creator, technology shouldnt be utilized solely to change the tools and media that artists employ, but to change the very nature of what it means to be human.
Technology is going to change your life construction; the inside of your body, he explains. So if you change the human body, it will change ones creativity as well.
He adds that genetics for non-human species will be altered as well and a human-dominant view of life and civilization will be altered forever.
Humans have dominated society for nearly 6,000 years and we treat animals as a lower species, he says. Technology will enable non-human species to have consciousness and creativity as well, and give animals the opportunities to change and become equal to humans. So then, how will we define beauty and what is considered art? Those definitions will totally reconstruct.
He warns that no one person will be able to hold back technological progress and, with that, safeguard international, ethical standards that come along with these changes. With this inevitability, says Tan, its up to people everywhere to the change the world responsibly.
That is a positive way that we can embrace these changes, he says.
However, Tan readily admits, the debate as to what is considered a responsible and ethnical approach will continue. Some people, he notes, believe that a humanoid has already been programmed with deeper learning.
In the end, says the RutgersCamden artist and researcher, technological advances continue to be made at an unfathomable rate, so its up to people as humans and artists to realize their untapped potential.
See the original post:
Artist and Researcher's Book Explores World of Subversive Bioart - Rutgers-Camden NewsNow
- The Great AI Race: Forecasts Diverge on the Arrival of Superintelligence - elblog.pl - April 14th, 2024 [April 14th, 2024]
- ASI Alliance Voting Opens: What Lies Ahead for AGIX, FET and OCEAN? - CCN.com - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Revolutionary AI: The Rise of the Super-Intelligent Digital Masterminds - Medium - January 2nd, 2024 [January 2nd, 2024]
- AI, arms control and the new cold war | The Strategist - The Strategist - November 16th, 2023 [November 16th, 2023]
- The Best ChatGPT Prompts Are Highly Emotional, Study Confirms - Tech.co - November 16th, 2023 [November 16th, 2023]
- 20 Movies About AI That Came Out in the Last 5 Years - MovieWeb - November 16th, 2023 [November 16th, 2023]
- Can You Imagine Life Without White Supremacy? - Dallasweekly - November 16th, 2023 [November 16th, 2023]
- Will Humanity solve the AI Alignment Problem? | by Enrique Tinoco ... - Medium - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- The Tesla Trap; Ellison Going Nuclear; Dont Count Headsets Out - Equities News - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- Future Investment Initiative emphasizes global cooperation and AI ... - Saudi Gazette - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- AI systems favor sycophancy over truthful answers, says new report - CoinGeek - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- What "The Creator", a film about the future, tells us about the present - InCyber - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- Invincible's Guardians Of The Globe Team Members, History ... - Screen Rant - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- From streaming wars to superintelligence with John Oliver & Calum ... - KNEWS - The English Edition of Kathimerini Cyprus - October 22nd, 2023 [October 22nd, 2023]
- Reckoning with self-destruction in Oppenheimer, Indiana Jones, and ... - The Christian Century - October 22nd, 2023 [October 22nd, 2023]
- How Microsoft's CEO tackles the ethical dilemma of AI and its ... - Medium - October 22nd, 2023 [October 22nd, 2023]
- Managing risk: Pandemics and plagues in the age of AI - The Interpreter - October 22nd, 2023 [October 22nd, 2023]
- Artificial Intelligence Has No Reason to Harm Us - The Wire - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Fischer Black and Artificial Superintelligence - InformationWeek - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- OpenAI Forms Specialized Team to Align Superintelligent AI with ... - Fagen wasanni - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- 10 Best Books on Artificial Intelligence | TheReviewGeek ... - TheReviewGeek - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- The Concerns Surrounding Advanced Artificial Intelligence and the ... - Fagen wasanni - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Decentralized AI: Revolutionizing Technology and Addressing ... - Fagen wasanni - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- An 'Oppenheimer Moment' For The Progenitors Of AI - NOEMA - Noema Magazine - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- The Implications of AI Advancements on Human Thinking and ... - Fagen wasanni - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Focusing on Tackling Algorithmic Bias is Key to Ethical AI ... - Fagen wasanni - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Discover This SUPER Early AI Crypto Gem - Altcoin Buzz - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Biden meets with AI leaders to discuss its 'enormous promise and its ... - KULR-TV - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- VivaTech: The Secret of Elon Musk's Success? 'Crystal Meth' - The New Stack - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- AI meets the other AI - POLITICO - POLITICO - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Squid Game trailer for real-life reality contest prompts confusion from Netflix users - Yahoo News - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Our Future Inside The Fifth Column- Or, What Chatbots Are Really For - Tech Policy Press - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- Elon Musk refuses to 'censor' Twitter in face of EU rules - Roya News English - June 20th, 2023 [June 20th, 2023]
- AI alignment - Wikipedia - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Are We Living In A Simulation? Can We Break Out Of It? - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Amazon.com: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies eBook ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- What is Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI)? - GeeksforGeeks - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Literature and Religion | Literature and Religion - Patheos - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Why AI will never rule the world - Digital Trends - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Why DART Is the Most Important Mission Ever Launched to Space - Gizmodo Australia - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- 'Sweet Home Alabama' turns 20: See how the cast has aged - Wonderwall - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Research Shows that Superintelligent AI is Impossible to be Controlled - Analytics India Magazine - September 24th, 2022 [September 24th, 2022]
- Eight best books on AI ethics and bias - INDIAai - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- AI Art Is Here and the World Is Already Different - New York Magazine - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Would "artificial superintelligence" lead to the end of life on Earth ... - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Instrumental convergence - Wikipedia - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- The Best Sci-Fi Movies on HBO Max - CNET - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Elon Musk Shares a Summer Reading Idea - TheStreet - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Bullet Train Review: Brad Pitt Even Shines in an Action-Packed Star Vehicle that Goes Nowhere Fast - IndieWire - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Peter McKnight: The day of sentient AI is coming, and we're not ready - Vancouver Sun - June 20th, 2022 [June 20th, 2022]
- SC judges should have minimum of seven to eight years of judgeship tenure: Justice L Nageswara Rao - The Tribune India - May 25th, 2022 [May 25th, 2022]
- WATCH: Neuralink, mind uploading and the AI apocalypse - Hamilton Spectator - May 3rd, 2022 [May 3rd, 2022]
- Artificial Intelligence And the Human Context of War - The National Interest Online - May 3rd, 2022 [May 3rd, 2022]
- Elon Musk and the Posthumanist Threat | John Waters - First Things - May 3rd, 2022 [May 3rd, 2022]
- Eliminating AI Bias: Human Intelligence is Not the Ultimate Solution - Analytics Insight - April 15th, 2022 [April 15th, 2022]
- If You Want to Succeed With Artificial Intelligence in Marketing, Invest in People - CMSWire - April 15th, 2022 [April 15th, 2022]
- Here Are All The TV Shows And Movies To Watch Featuring The Cast Of "Atlanta" - BuzzFeed - April 15th, 2022 [April 15th, 2022]
- What2Watch: This week's worth-the-watch - Review - Review - March 31st, 2022 [March 31st, 2022]
- Top 10 Algorithms Helping the Superintelligent AI Growth in 2022 - Analytics Insight - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- AI Ethics Keeps Relentlessly Asking Or Imploring How To Adequately Control AI, Including The Matter Of AI That Drives Self-Driving Cars - Forbes - March 18th, 2022 [March 18th, 2022]
- What to watch next on Showmax - News24 - March 18th, 2022 [March 18th, 2022]
- Does Kimi deliver the goods? Thriller aims to capitalize on Alexa, Siri and Seattles tech cachet - GeekWire - February 17th, 2022 [February 17th, 2022]
- 'Downfall' follows chain of bad decisions that led up to Boeing 737-Max crashes - Lewiston Morning Tribune - February 17th, 2022 [February 17th, 2022]
- Maybe it is Not Too Late to Buy Bitcoin! BTC has a Long Way to Go - Analytics Insight - February 17th, 2022 [February 17th, 2022]
- Giving an AI control of nuclear weapons: What could possibly go wrong? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - February 7th, 2022 [February 7th, 2022]
- Meet the cast of The Afterparty - Radio Times - January 27th, 2022 [January 27th, 2022]
- 8 big threats to human stability and even existence in 2022 - AMEinfo - January 27th, 2022 [January 27th, 2022]
- Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology | AER - January 17th, 2022 [January 17th, 2022]
- Are We Living in a Computer Simulation? Artificial Superintelligence Could Provide the Answer - BBN Times - January 17th, 2022 [January 17th, 2022]
- Movie Review: The 355 - mxdwn.com - January 9th, 2022 [January 9th, 2022]
- AI control problem - Wikipedia - December 10th, 2021 [December 10th, 2021]
- REPORT : Baltic Event Works in Progress 2021 - Cineuropa - December 5th, 2021 [December 5th, 2021]
- Top Books On AI Released In 2021 - Analytics India Magazine - November 27th, 2021 [November 27th, 2021]
- Inside the MIT camp teaching kids to spot bias in code - Popular Science - November 27th, 2021 [November 27th, 2021]
- 7 Types Of Artificial Intelligence - Forbes - November 17th, 2021 [November 17th, 2021]
- The Flash Season 8 Poster Kicks Off Five-Part Armageddon Story Tonight on The CW - TVweb - November 17th, 2021 [November 17th, 2021]
- Nick Bostrom - Wikipedia - November 15th, 2021 [November 15th, 2021]
- Cowboy Bebop; Ein dogs were really spoiled on set - Dog of the Day - November 13th, 2021 [November 13th, 2021]
- Inside the Impact on Marvel of Brian Tyree Henry's Openly Gay Character in 'Eternals' - Black Girl Nerds - November 13th, 2021 [November 13th, 2021]
- The funny formula: Why machine-generated humor is the holy grail of A.I. - Digital Trends - November 13th, 2021 [November 13th, 2021]