Bioprinting in bioart and art-based research practices

Abstract

Bioprinting is increasingly recognised for its substantial potential in facilitating customised artistic creations. This field, inherently interdisciplinary, enables the exploration and utilisation of novel materials, techniques, and conceptual frameworks, leading to the emergence of innovative and intellectually engaging art forms. The article refers to ‘MetabolA.I.’ and other interdisciplinary projects as examples of how theoretical and artistic reflections on possible biological or techno-biological forms of life sprout into reality through a mediation of technologies, such as bioprinting. The work on the project and subsequent research in this domain led to the development of two bioprinter prototypes, based on the philosophy of open source. The advent of do-it-yourself (DIY) bioprinting has significantly contributed to its incorporation into educational curricula and artistic endeavours. The democratisation of advanced tools foster a conducive environment for research and experimentation within the arts. It also allows students to experience the methods which will define the future of research. Art projects involving bioprinting also prompt a reassessment of reproducibility in art, since inherent biological variability makes each ‘print’ fundamentally irreproducible. This breathes new life into the discourse on the ‘aura’ of artworks in the technological age, when control over the creative process seems unlimited. The posthumanist perspective on this trend brings us back to the question of whether the creative process is exclusively a human prerogative.