[rohrpost] Open Call for Experimental BioArts Project: “not invented by nature”

Ursula Damm ursula at ferngefuehl.de
Mon Jun 17 20:39:57 CEST 2013


The Helmholtz Initiative on Synthetic Biology (www.helmholtz.de/syntheticbiology) is calling for proposals for art exhibits developed during an experimental laboratory experience.

The project is a common project between Prof. Dr. Roland Eils (DKFZ Heidelberg and Heidelberg University, more information on http://www.eilslabs.de and Prof. Ursula Damm (Bauhaus University Weimar, more information on http://www.uni-weimar.de/medien/wiki/GMU:Start). The jury will consist equally of scientists and artists.

With the emergence of Synthetic Biology, a scientific discipline aiming at the standardization of biological parts for the targeted generation of organisms with new, naturally not occurring features is gaining more and more scientific as well as public attention. Discoveries and inventions in the field of Synthetic Biology bear an enormous potential for the understanding of the living world and the development of processes and products for medicine and technology. The societal changes originating from such advances, however, are neither anticipated nor reflected in scientific approaches to this issue. Thus, the project aims at introducing artists to the technical methodology of Synthetic Biology and to uncover common aspects for a critical assessment of societal and cultural aspects of this emerging discipline.

The project starts at September 9, 2013. Selected artists are invited to a four-week experimental laboratory visit at the BioQuant Center for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Biosystems (www.bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de) in Heidelberg, Germany. During the first two weeks, the embedded artists will be introduced to experimental techniques, such as handling of bacteria and mammalian cells, DNA cloning and protein expression as well as analytic methods, such as microscopy, gel electrophoresis or photometric assays. The following two weeks are dedicated to the first stages of exhibit development. The exhibits generated during and after this laboratory experience will be presented to the public in an exhibition in the award-winning BioQuant Center in Heidelberg. The exhibition will last (depending on the kind of exhibits) 4-6 weeks and will take place within the framework of the international research symposium “Synthetic Biology – from understanding to application” taking place at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg on December 9-11, 2013 (www.synbio-symposium.de).

The call is open until July 28, 2013. Applicants will be informed about the Jury’s decision until August 7, 2013. Accommodation in Heidelberg from September 9 until October 4, 2013, as well as equipment and consumables necessary for the experimental part are fully covered by the organizers. Two artists will be supported with a budget between 1.000 € - 3.000 € (depending on the requirements) to cover production costs of the exhibits.

Your application should include:

Project proposal (preliminary) (500 words)

Letter of interest (up to 1000 words)

Documentation of artwork (website, PDF, video)

Curriculum vitae



Please send all required documents by email to j.ritzerfeld at dkfz.de

More information is available on http://www.synbio-symposium.de/sb2013/index.php/bioarts




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prof. ursula damm
gestaltung medialer umgebungen 
bauhaus-universität weimar 
fakultät medien 
marienstrasse 5, raum 304
tel. 03643-583607
fax 03643-583806
d-99423 weimar 
ursula.damm at uni-weimar.de
http://www.uni-weimar.de/medien/umgebungen/
http://www.ursuladamm.de
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