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The influence of genetics on contemporary art
Dorothy Nelkin1, Suzanne Anker
1Department of Sociology, New York University, Room 440, 269 Mercer Street, New York, New York 10003, USA. dorothy.nelkin@nyu.edu
Abstract:
Contemporary visual artists are incorporating genetic concepts into their work, and this work has become prominently featured in numerous museum and gallery exhibitions. Such art uses visual images that represent the language of genomics, the values affected by genetic understanding of the body and the implications of bioengineering. Here, we present various examples of how artists depict aspects of genetics as cultural icons and symbols; in particular, their focus on DNA as information and on the commercialization of genetics research material.
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