The subject of the seminar will introduce students to selected approaches in molecular aesthetics. A number of current art and design projects will be addressed that create art or design using living matter, like Bioart and Biodesign as well as some do-it-yourself biology (DIYbio) practices. Another focus will be on new cross-disciplinary approaches in design, which seek to implement biological principles in the design process and even try to integrate living organisms as essential components thereby initiating collaboration between designers and biologists. Current approaches in Biodesign aspire to go beyond the biology-inspired approach of bionics and biomimicry, and aim at transforming and applying structures, procedures, and developmental principles of biological systems to technology and technical applications. We will focus also on the production of art that is related to technoscience; not only because of the cutting-edge technologies it uses but most importantly because from this relationship a new model emerges which is fruitful for understanding the production of reality with the realm of biotechnologies.

It is important for seminar participants to attend the introductory session on October 2, 2018. The topics for the lectures will be assigned and information provided about the subjects and issues that we will deal with over the course of the term. Documents and materials will be available online at BASE Angewandte. To participate effectively in class required readings are expected. Each student is also required to present a topic in class and write a research essay (10-12 pages) about a given topic.