Art under Microscope

In a seamless blend of art and science, Jo Berry's cutting-edge project,  Hijacking Natural Systems, explores beauty on a cellular level. Her  works are more than just pretty pictures: by highlighting cellular pharmacology, Berry and others hope to facilitate awareness and encourage the advancement of treatments for diabetes and obesity. “The project is celebrating the human body, the use of new technology, the collaboration between science and art,” she stated. “[It] also gives the public the opportunity to see art in a non-traditional setting.”

Certainly the artist did not embark on this foray into science unprepared: she spent six months researching the project, participating in practical research activities, and using fluorescence microscopy to study the pharmacology of drugs and receptors in living cells. To produce this truly unique “body of work,” Berry worked closely with biomedical engineers, studying not only the physiology of live cell interactions, but also how to capture and manipulate these relationships using the latest technology. She then transferred this newfound knowledge into her art, creating short films, vinyl artworks and multi-layered sculptural light-boxes which illustrate these biological processes.

For full details:

http://www.mutualart.com/OpenArticle/Redefining-Art-Under-the-Micro...