Artist Talk

The Austrian artist Günter Seyfried (Pavillon 35 Bioart Club) will give a talk about his project on do-it-yourself (DIY) Biology in Europe on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, 4:15–6 pm at Vordere Zollamtstraße 3, Lecture Hall 14 (3rd floor). In his artist talk “European do-it-yourself (DIY) Biology: Beyond the Hope, Hype and Horror” Günter Seyfried will provide insights into the encounter of amateur science with synthetic biology, which has led to the formation of amateur, do-it-yourself biology (DIYBio) groups worldwide. Although news media have covered DIYBio events, most have only highlighted the hope, hype, and horror of what DIYBio might do in the future.

Günter Seyfried will analyse the European amateur biology movement to outline who they are, what they aim for, and how they differ from citizen science projects in the USA. In his research he has found that all groups are driven by a core leadership of (semi-)professional people who struggle to find lab space and suitable equipment. Regulations on genetic modification limit what groups can do. Differences between Europe and the US exist in the specifics of the regulatory environments and the European emphasis on bio-art. In conjunction with his research colleagues, Günter Seyfried comes to the conclusion that DIYBio Europe has so far been a responsible and transparent citizen science movement with a solid user base that will continue to grow irrespective of media attention.
Günter Seyfried has a background in medicine and psychology, which he studied at the University of Vienna, and has strong links to the fine arts, digital art, and media art, having graduated from the University of Applied Arts Vienna (Department of Digital Art). He works part time at the New Design University in St. Pölten, Department of Manual and Material Culture, teaching philosophy and art theory. He combines science and art education and develops projects as an independent artist, participating in national and international exhibitions and publications and performing various tasks for Biofaction, Vienna. http://pavillon35.polycinease.com/
http://polycinease.com/

The Guest Lecture Series of Professor Ingeborg Reichle’s seminar “Bioart – Biodesign – DIY: Reframing Life in Current Artistic Practices and Design Approaches” is an informative and stimulating opportunity to hear from distinguished artists about what’s going on in the emerging fields of bioart and biodesign and will help our students build their network of contacts. Our guest lectures are open to all.