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Art Inspired by Genetics
A highly unusual and innovative feature of the exhibition is the integration of contemporary works of art that explore the subject of genetics. These works reflect the spirit of inquiry and creativity that inspires scientific research as well as art.
Don’t miss these highlights:
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 Susan Derges
Vessel, 1 – 6, Ilfochrome transparencies and lightboxes, 2001
This series of photographs captures the development of frogs, from eggs to tadpoles to maturity. Artist Susan Derges created this work after discovering a trove of ancient alchemy vessels in the basement of a science museum. Vessel focuses on processes and transformations in the natural world.
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 Cornelia Hesse-Honegger
Drosophila melanogaster eye II D, watercolor 1986
This watercolor depicts of the eyes of mutant fruit flies—the organism of choice for early 20th-century genetics experiments. Inspired by the effectiveness of insects as indicators of environmental health, Cornelia Hesse-Honegger bred fruit flies in her own home to observe and record their mutations.
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Katherine Dowson
Chromosome puzzle, Acrylic, 2002
This acrylic puzzle explores the artist’s experiences with the learning disorder dyslexia, as well as the genetic origins of the condition. Dowson refers to the work as a self-portrait—it was inspired by IQ tests that she took as a child; the puzzle pieces are images of her own chromosomes.
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Gina Glover
Human chromosome, Photograph 2003
This whimsical photograph imagines chromosomes as striped socks, a resemblance that artist Gina Glover noticed when observing chromosomes under a microscope. Also like socks, each chromosome is made of a long thread—although in the case of chromosome the thread is made of DNA.
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Rob Kesseler
Mitosis Pollen, Glass and pollen, 2002
Mitosis comprises a group of six glass spheres that were blown and progressively stretched in their molten state until two new forms emerged—evoking the idea of cell division. These sculptures are an artistic expression of a crucial moment of creation, frozen in time, and suspended in the fluidity of the cooled glass.
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 Christine Borland
A Treasury of Human Inheritance, Entres case; Silver, steel, and agate; 2001
This mobile, made of polished agate stones, represents five generations of the Entres family, which had various symptoms of Huntington Disease. Each agate section is unique in its configuration of crystals and rings, and the overall pattern represents various symptoms of the condition.
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