Water Birth, 2024. An uncredited image, printed, taped and scanned, depicting a newborn baby still submerged after a waterbirth. Courtesy Michael Jones McKean
Emergence:
Art from Life
Opening Weekend:
October 12-13
Celebrate the opening of Emergence: Art from Life at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
ABOUT EMERGENCE
The expansive field of synthetic biology, or SynBio, has the power to transform our lives. As we redesign organisms to new ends and construct novel life forms, we confront deep questions about homo sapiens— the “wise human”— and our capacities for creation, destruction, recklessness, renewal, and hope. What forms of life are we choosing to cultivate? What will we nurture, and what might we leave behind? Who has agency in this moment of making, learning, and living with?
Inside Emergence, artists, scientists, and artist-scientists working at the forefronts of synthetic biology and contemporary art assemble around these questions. Visitors will encounter human bones grown from synthetic mother-of-pearl; objects dyed with bioengineered indigo pigment; and living, microscopic tear glands that cry.
OPENING WEEKEND
Oct. 12-13 at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
On October 12th, from 6-9pm, Emergence will be open for viewing during the reception, featuring family-friendly science activities and special performances from artists Henry Tan and the AfroRithm Futures Group. On October 13th, opening weekend continues with a moderated conversation with the artists and scientists of Emergence, including Eduardo Padilha, Masato Takemura, Henry Tan, Ionat Zurr, and others. Shortly after, we will begin a guided gallery tour with Fathomers co-founder and Emergence curator Stacy Switzer and Emergence director of science editorial and content Dr. Yewande Pearse. We hope to see you there!
Emergence is among more than 70 exhibitions and programs presented as part of PST ART. PST ART: Art & Science Collide, the latest edition of this landmark regional event explores the intersections of art and science, both past and present. PST ART is presented by Getty. For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, please visit pst.art.
Emergence is part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide presented by Getty and runs from October 8th to December 15th. Visit us on October 12-13 to meet with the artists, scientists, curators, and collaborators who brought this exhibition to life.
MEWE. We are the environment that grows the multiplanetary garden. Image credit: Ahmed Best, ©: 2024 AfroRithm Futures Group
MicroPET system prototype. Image credit: MicroPET team
Pillars of Creation (digital sketch). Image credit: Henry Tan, ©: 2024 Henry Tan
FEATURING
AfroRithm Futures Group: Ahmed Best, Dr. Lonny J. Avi Brooks, and Jade Fabello in collaboration with Dr. Drew Endy, Jesse Gilbert, Raquel Horsford, Malaya, and Oguri
Tissue Culture & Art Project: Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr, with assistance from UCLA Art|Sci and California NanoSystems Institute
Dr. Callie R. Chappell and Dr. Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong
Eduardo Padilha
Dr. Marie Bannier Hélaouët, Organoid Group, Hubrecht Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), The Netherlands, and Oncode Institute, The Netherlands, and Dr. Albert Wu with lab members Dr. Aditi Swarup, Dr. Hala Dhowre, Dr. Sanja Bojic, and Julietta Picco
Michael Jones McKean, with assistance from Dr. Stephen Fong, Professor of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, in cooperation with the Museu de Leiria, Portugal
Dr. Pat Pataranutaporn
Corinne Okada Takara
Henry Tan, Masato Takemura, Pakchira Chartpanyawut, Weeratouch Pongruengkiat, Woraporn Pongsamart, Dr. Pat Pataranutaporn, Jirapat Thaweechuen, Tanis Phongpisantham, Pongsakorn Wechakarn, Sumeth Klomchitcharoen, and Kookpedz Studio
Still image of a human lacrimal gland organoid. Blue shows a cell nucleus. Red shows a tear protein called lipocalin 2 (LCN2). Green shows a water channel by which water is secreted by the gland. Photo credit: Dr. Marie Bannier Hélaouët, ©: 2021 Hubrecht Institute.
The Tissue Culture & Art Project (Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr), Biomess (Art Gallery of Western Australia), 2018. Living organisms, natural history specimens and lab-grown life, arranged in custom made cabinets as a “bio-Gucci” style environment. Photo credit: The Tissue Culture & Art Project
Mini Kokedama Assembly. Image credit: Corinne Okada Takara, 2023
Separating bioengineered yeast producing blue indigoidine dye using a centrifuge. Photo credit: Callie Chappell and Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong, ©: 2024 Callie Chappell and Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong
Eduardo Padilha, Embalming the Undying, 2024. Used embalming machine, stainless steel trays, silicone tubing, cell culture bag, culture medium, photography background. Photo credit: Rita Wu