DNA: Insert? Cancel ?
,DNA: Insert? Cancel ? (2021) is an interactive sculpture exploring building blocks of life and computers. The plant grows from keyboard keys, which is the main method for inputting code today. It also displays a double spiral, suggesting a DNA molecule. The insert and cancel keys make an allusion to the genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, which have unlocked a precise and cheap way to edit the DNA of living organisms. They also match the two symbols of binary code. When presented with the keys, which one do you press ? Insert or Cancel? It reminds us of the ethical considerations of technology use and the choices that we have as humans. Should we allow heritable changes in the human DNA? Curiously enough, RNA techniques have been responsible for helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Is the future of programming, biological ? How designed organisms will look like?
The sculpture brain is a small microcontroller, which is used to detect levels of light, emit sounds, and activate the spiral lights. Once exposed to strong light, it will turn on for 10 seconds when the light levels decrease. In a reasonably bright environment, one should be able to turn the spiral lights by blocking the light with the hands. It is powered by a 3.0V coin cell, which is attached to the flower of the plant.
The sculpture brain is a small microcontroller, which is used to detect levels of light, emit sounds, and activate the spiral lights. Once exposed to strong light, it will turn on for 10 seconds when the light levels decrease. In a reasonably bright environment, one should be able to turn the spiral lights by blocking the light with the hands. It is powered by a 3.0V coin cell, which is attached to the flower of the plant.
DNA: Insert? Cancel ? was a gift to a friend.