TABOO - TRANSGRESSION - TRANSCENDENCE

Cell culture is traditionally done in petri dishes with cells grown in 2D sheets. To grow cells in

3D in the potential conditions of an exhibition space, we need to find and research the right

growing conditions, substrates, atmosphere and scaffolding that would allow them to grow.

In still photography, the person who physically takes the picture - the one who operates the

shutter release button of the camera - is automatically awarded the copyright to the picture.

This copyright law was challenged in 2011, when a Celebes Crested Macaques monkey took a

picture of himself in the Indonesian jungle. This "Monkey selfie copyright dispute" created a

public discussion, whether the copyright of the image - the picture the Macaques took -

belongs to the animal, or to the photographer, who set up the camera equipment in the jungle.

After going through a number of legal instances, it was ruled that the Macaques could not

claim copyright of the picture because 'copyright cannot vest in non-human authors': animals

are not human beings and only persons can be holders of copyright.

For the project we will use the most affordable and widely available camera in the live times of

Henrietta Lacks, the Argus C3. This camera is equipped with a remote release cable, which

will be triggered by the translated agency of the cells, via the bio-adapter.

We are aware of the history and moral ambiguities surrounding the HeLa cells and how they

became appropriated without patient consent. This project will also discuss the question of

using patient derived bio- materials in general, and whether we are - by creating this artwork -

instrumentalizing HeLa’s extended body.