Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices
I am an artist interested in growing and using the following bacterial pigments:
- Serratia marcescens (red/pink)
- Bacillus species (orange/yellow)
- Environmental isolates from soil
Firstly, in growing them myself (which I am new to), as well as mechanotransduction experiments with sounds and vibrations; having the bacteria’s pigment respond to sounds and vibrations. Connecting mechanosensitive channels to pigment gene expression.
If possible, explore the possibilities of UV-protective, antimicrobial, colored bioplastic material or packaging using bacterial pigments in a seaweed matrix, and build on what has been done to amplify natural pigment production through gene cloning. Combining bacterial pigments directly with seaweed‑based bioplastic matrices (like carrageenan or alginate) for UV‑protection and antimicrobial function.
Further experiments,looking at creating hybrid strains.
Bio-Art Ethics & Policy Framework
I looked at governance and policy from an artist’s, non-science public, point of view, as well as the fact that in my usage case, the bacterial samples may be presented to the public in a gallery setting.
Primary Goal: Ensure Safe & Responsible Use of Engineered Organisms in Artistic Practice
Secondary Goal: Maintain Public Trust in Bio-Art While Enabling Innovation
Three Governance Actions
Action 1: Tiered Institutional Approval System Highlighting the roles of Biosafety Committees, Art Institutions, and Artists.Actor 1 (Biosafety Committees),Actor 2 (Art Institutions),Actor 3 (Artists).
Action 2: Open-Source Documentation Standard & Community Vetting Outlining the purpose of shared safety standards and the involvement of Artists, Scientists, and the Community. Purpose: Currently, bio-art practitioners work in isolation without shared safety standards, Actor 1 (Artists & Scientists), Actor 2 (Community.
Action 3: Technical Safety Infrastructure & Insurance Product Addressing artist liability through the collaboration of Engineers, Certification Bodies, and Artists.Purpose: Currently, artists mostly bear full liability for bio-art installations. Actor 1 (Engineers/Companies), Actor 2 (Certification Bodies), Actor 3 (artist)
Risk Assessment Matrix
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References: Figure 1 & 2: Governance & Bio-Art Risk Assessment Matrix. Generated by Manus AI (2026) based on the author’s framework.