Eduardo Kac Transforms Art Through Biology And Space While Breaking Boundaries Of Contemporary Creation
Photo: Eduardo Kac, pioneering Bio Art and Space Art creator, photographed against a textured wall in dramatic natural lighting. His contemplative gaze and relaxed pose reflect the thoughtful nature of an artist who bridges the realms of science, technology, and artistic expression. Photo by Carlos Fadon.
The Pioneer Of Bio Art
Eduardo Kac discusses his revolutionary Bio Art concept, groundbreaking GFP Bunny creation, space art achievements, and future lunar projects, while exploring the intersection of technology, biology, and artistic expression.
Eduardo Kac stands as a visionary pioneer who has redefined the boundaries of contemporary art, seamlessly merging science, technology, and creative expression. His groundbreaking work spans across multiple dimensions – from the microscopic realm of genetic art to the infinite expanse of outer space, establishing him as one of the most innovative artists of our time.
The mastermind behind the term “Bio Art” and creator of the iconic GFP Bunny, Kac has consistently pushed the envelope of artistic possibility. His work transcends traditional artistic mediums, venturing into territories previously exclusive to scientific laboratories and space agencies. The global impact of his creations, particularly GFP Bunny, has rippled through popular culture, appearing in mainstream television shows and literature, demonstrating art’s power to influence societal discourse on biotechnology and ethics.
Most recently, Kac’s ventures into space art have captured the world’s imagination. His groundbreaking piece “Inner Telescope,” realized in collaboration with French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and “Ágora,” now orbiting the sun, represent unprecedented artistic achievements. These works not only challenge our terrestrial understanding of art but also pioneer new possibilities for creative expression beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
In this interview, Kac shares insights into his remarkable journey, discussing the evolution of Bio Art, the challenges of creating art in space, and his vision for the future of artistic expression in the cosmic frontier. His upcoming lunar project, “Adsum,” promises to further expand the horizons of what we consider possible in the realm of artistic creation.
Eduardo Kac’s visionary approach to merging science with art has revolutionized contemporary artistic expression, inspiring generations of creators.
What inspired you to coin the term “Bio Art,” and how do you see its evolution since you first introduced it in the late 1990s?
I coined the term “Bio Art” in 1997 because I was making work that was focused on a more visceral approach to “life” than we had seen before in contemporary art. The 60s and 70s gave us ecological art—which was centered on larger issues, such as reclamation, for example—and body art, which hinged on the artistic use of the human body, often cutting or making marks on the skin. “Bio Art” is different: it’s focused on a more fundamental approach to the very mechanisms of life, such as cell communication, tissue culture, transgenics, and metabolic manipulation. A new form needs a new name.
“A new form needs a new name.” – Eduardo Kac
Can you discuss the significance of your work with GFP Bunny and how it has influenced public perceptions of genetic art and biotechnology?
I created GFP Bunny in 2000. In a nutshell, the work consisted in the creation and production of a green-glowing rabbit—a real, living, breathing rabbit that glowed green under blue light. This was possible by transferring a jellyfish gene, called GFP (i.e., Green Fluorescent Protein), to the male reproductive cell of a rabbit in a microscope. In itself, the procedure is fairly standard. That’s not the issue. The point is that, for the first time, an artist created a new mammal. For several years GFP Bunny was the subject of exhibitions, public debates, and global media coverage. In recent years, it has been appropriated by major popular culture franchises such as Sherlock, Big Bang Theory, and Simpsons, and by writers such as Margaret Atwood and Michael Crichton. In 2000, GFP Bunny was an icon of the new era. Today, GFP Bunny is evolving into an archetype.
“Technology is my medium, but to me the question is not what a given medium offers by default.” – Eduardo Kac
Your artwork Inner Telescope was realized in outer space. What motivated you to create art in such a unique environment, and what were some challenges you faced during the process?
Consider the fact that all art, from the caves to Picasso and beyond, has been created on Earth, for telluric experience. The Earth conditions the production and the experience of the artwork. When this limitation is removed, new possibilities emerge. I’m motivated to create space art because we are now developing a new phase of culture in which extraterrestrial experience will become central. I created my first work of space art in 1986. The work is entitled Ágora and was conceived for deep space. For decades I tried to complete this piece. I finally succeeded in January of 2024. Ágora now orbits the sun in perpetuity. I have been developing space art since the 80s. Inner Telescope was created after Ágora, but completed in 2017, i.e., before Ágora. Space artworks are difficult to complete because they involve many variables that are completely out of your control, such as flight schedules and the weather.
How do you approach the integration of technology and art in your work, particularly in the context of digital, holographic, and online art forms?
Technology is my medium, but to me the question is not what a given medium offers by default. The question does not start with technology. The focal point is what I want to do, what I want to express, the emotions I wish to evoque, the experiences I want to enable the audience to have. The choices I make follow my vision for the artwork—never the technology.
Your pieces often engage with themes of transience and constant change. How do you think these concepts resonate in today’s fast-paced digital world?
The concept of ‘constant change’ was first developed in the context of Western thought by the pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus. Needless to say, the meaning of this insight some two thousand and five hundred years ago and today is dramatically different. I made my first digital work in 1982; my first hologram in 1983; my first online piece on the minitel network in 1985; and my first telepresence (i.e., telerobotic) work in 1986. In art, the early 1980s were a period dominated by a neo-expressionist style of painting, which to me seemed melancholically nostalgic and devoid of interest. I wanted to contribute to the development of the digital culture of the future. That future is our networked present, in which information flows in multiple directions and is constantly being transformed.
Looking ahead, what do you hope to achieve with your upcoming works, like Adsum‘s journey to the Moon, and how do you envision the future of space art?
Conceived for the Moon, Adsum is a cubic glass sculpture inside of which symbols are laser engraved. The symbols are positioned one in front of the other, thus forming a spatial poem inside the solid glass cube that can be read in any direction. ‘Adsum’ means “Here I am” in Latin, as used to indicate that the speaker is present (equivalent to the exclamation “here!” in a roll call). Adsum will fly to the Moon aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander and, if all goes well, it will arrive on the Moon by early 2025. Adsum will then stay on the Moon, protected aboard the lander, for endless time. Although I will not live to see it, it’s perfectly conceivable that Adsum will be found decades or centuries from now. It is my hope that it will be meaningful to future audiences. In this sense, one of the interesting aspects of space art is the possibility of viewers and participants themselves being in space, either in orbit or in habitats, which will happen more frequently as time goes by. This is relevant because space art is meant to exist and to be seen in space; space art is literally extraterrestrial. As space art evolves, through the use of new processes, media, and materials, and through interaction with new cosmic environments, it will expand the limited scope of our earthbound experiences.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Eduardo Kac’s “Tesão [Horny]” (1985-86) artwork:
In this pioneering Minitel artwork, Eduardo Kac explores the intersection of digital technology and artistic expression. Created in the mid-1980s, this piece showcases Kac’s early experimentation with electronic media, predating his later famous bio-art works. The modest dimensions (24.5 x 25 x 24.5 cm) belie its significance as an early example of digital art. Through geometric patterns and architectural-like structures arranged in systematic rows against a black background, Kac creates a visual language that bridges technology and artistic creativity. The work demonstrates his innovative approach to pushing boundaries in art, even in these early stages of his career.
