Microbiology and my practice
Environmental monitoring plate
Introduction to my practice and comparative works from other artists
One of the challenges I have found to make microbiological-based (sound/music) art is the seemingly unavoidable need to utilise Bioart, meaning living organisms as a means to qualify/prove the relationship between the art and microbiology. The means to do this are typically by using traditional agar within a petri-dish, which I also do with my ‘mapping’ project, although the plate are a more unusual larger square than the typical circular design.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa haiku
Pseudomonas bug
Are you monas or not?
and who wants to know?
Pseudobug - fake bacteria made with paint by student Megan
Pseudo-ness'
The idea of 'pseudo-ness' originated with a tutorial/mini-workshop session using paint as fake bacteria, which I named pseudo-bugs after a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The genus name, therefore means 'false-monas', I'd always found it to be an odd name. I used this as inspiration for a poem in a science poetry session led by Dr. Sam Illingworth (shown on the right)
This led to the idea of embracing false-ness and therefore pseudo-ness as a concept. It also freed me from thinking of the need to portray 'things' correctly. Even the instructions for the construction of a Haiku in English are not technically correct, the correct Japanese structure is modified to fit to English.
This was further supported by researcher Laurence Arcadias sharing her art science animation practice with our group, in animation work produced in collaboration with a student group (Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore- USA) and NASA (based nearby), the work had an artistic interpretation, but based on the scientific information. There were interesting creatures used to represent matter, which was not attempting to produce something visually accurate and the science was explained by the narration. I think this increased interest, but again it's not my area/background! There is also an element of pun/humour/fun/ridiculousness in the 'pseudo-ness' concept which initially I had some concern over, until I read the that seemingly very serious 'Deep Listening' as developed by Pauline Oliveros, was so titled based on a pun:
"Dan Harpole Cistern, a long, empty receptacle for water ... they listened intently as their sounds returned to them with an extraordinary delay of forty-five seconds... resulting in the 1989 album Deep Listening. Both Pauline and Stuart were notorious punsters, and titling the album 'Deep Listening made them smile and laugh out loud."
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is also a boundary-crossing organism as it is ubiquitous in the environment as well as a significant human pathogen.
A review of Bioart/Microbiology based sound and music
I conducted a review of the microbiology-based sound/music art. I found work could be categorised into themes based on the methodologies/processes used to make the sound.
Biological processes: bubbles/carbon dioxide production, used to trigger synthesiser responses.
This was the case in the work of the “Living Instruments” the Hackuarium group, the bubble organ is shown below
"It is a musical composition for a series of instruments that use bacteria, yeast and other living organisms to generate music. By interacting with the organisms and recording the sounds, gas bubbles, pressure, and movements they generate, the artists can transform data into music, creating a live, semi-improvised musical piece." (Hacterium 2022)
Genetic Information: DNA/ genetic information translated into sound. In all the genetic information projects, a musician worked collaboratively with the artist to produce the sound, such as “Bacterial Soundscape” (2022) by Kexin Lui.
Conductivity: microorganisms used as used to complete an electronic circuit in order to produce sound. This has been employed with slim mould being used as the connective element. For example in the Slimevolt team project. To build the slime mould as a conductive element in the instrument.
Mapping process: the location of growth on an agar surface is translated into a sound based on its position. This is employed by Ani Liu in Biota ,Beats where the position and size of the organisms on the dish translate to sound, although I was unable to find any recording of the sound output. The microbiological growth was also mapped to an existing musical score.
Power cell: microbiological containers are used as fuel cells to generate power to create sound. Here the microbes do not produce the sound but enable it to happen, such as “Biodiamond energy Theatre” and “Energy Bending Laboratory”(2014) by Interspecifics
The sound art projects are largely bioart projects.
Bioart has been criticised as follows:
I agree with this criticism, and this could also be said to apply to the way in which microbiological sound projects have also been created, in that each project is reliant on a specific biotechnology.
Based on this review there were potential new areas to explore:
Many of the works use/feature laboratory equipment (flasks) and materials (Petri dishes); however, there is no inclusion of these materials in the production of the sound.
There is no consideration of the environmental sounds of the laboratory, i.e. the environment that these organisms will have been cultured in.
The sound methodologies are also distinct from each other there is no cross-over between the themes. That is one technology / methodology for each kind of music creation
There is no reference to the techniques and methods used in a Microbiology Laboratory
Work of other artists and groups in Microbiological based music/sound art
