https://www.bacterialart.com
Recently I just got a stomach ache by food poisoning, which was related to bacteria. I came up the idea of germs and biological means and searched online with the keyword of bacteria art, which several results came out and lead me to this website created by the team of the Creative Director – Dr. Mehmet Berkmen and Bacterial Artists – Maria Peñil Cobo.
Once said the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown, this quote was hanging above the top page of their web sight, introducing their mission. Their purpose is to narrow down thew gap between microbes and bacteria, using the language of art as a bridge to make human understand and increase the awareness of bacterias instead of fearing them because of disease and so on. Also another goal they have is to combine Science and Art, which they believe, both methodologies are equally valid.
Dr. Mehmet Berkmen and Maria Peñil Cobo had created special canvas that allows the bacteria to grow and create art, also they captured the growth of bacterias by recording time elapsing videos with their special chamber. Art jewelries, and other 3D works related to bacteria was also built and designed.
Bioscapes
SeaScapes
mask
These are the portraits of The Creative Director Dr. Mehmet Berkmen and Bacterial Artists – Maria Peñil Cobo. Dr. Mehmet Berkmen is born in Turkey, and had studied at Vienna, Toronto, London, Houston and Boston. He was into using the same method of scientific methodologies to create art and was currently a Senior Scientist at New England Biolabs. He was focusing on genetically engineering bacteria to produce proteins in his laboratory. Maria Peñil Cobo is born in San Vicente de la Barquera, a small fishing village by the Atlantic coast, and was a Spanish. She went to Madrid to study Fine Arts at the University Complutense, where she finished her MFA studies. Working with hemp, bees wax, wood, branches, thread and fabrics, Maria mainly used natural media. Wood carving and sculpture was her main source of inspiration is the natural world. Her works mainly consist patterns and textures that was related to the natural world.
portrait source : https://www.bacterialart.com