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“Culturing <Paper>cut” [2013]

IWASAKI Hideo

“Culturing &lt;Paper&gt;cut”

Outline

Cyanobacteria (photosynthetic bacteria) isolated from my neighboring ponds are growing and making complicated patterns on gels in the presence of cut biological articles (papers, originally written by the artist). The paper can be reused for additional imperfect replication of the bacterial patterns, like silk screens with bacteria instead of ink.
The papers are parts from our own scientific articles studying on cyanobacterial morphogenesis and biological clock. Generally, “objective” scientific papers are filled with “subjective” interpretation and actions. In this work, the first subjective pronouns and text describing subjective actions had been cutout, and instead, bacteria are growing from the missing points. Original images in the articles were not eliminated but remained somehow. Thus, three distinct patterns derived from scientific description, fine-art/craft-based papercutting and generative bacterial movements /growth are coexisting here.
The bacterial colony pattern formations shown here are not only media for aesthetic pursuit but also for scientific investigation. A part of the latter will be performed at the neighboring open lab during the exhibition. (IWASAKI Hideo)

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