aPrayer 2.0 for microorganisms
used in biomedia artworks
"PREXTCE2020: Xplo-", ArtBunker B39, Bucheon, South Korea, 2020
aPrayer 5th anniversary meeting, Hitachi Ohta, Japan, 2021
"metaPhorest Biome", Shinjuku White House, Japan, 2024
"PRECTXE2020", B39, Bucheon, Nov 7-Dec 13, 2020
"PRECTXE2020", B39, Bucheon, Nov 7-Dec 13, 2020
"metaPhorest Biome", Shinjuku White House, Tokyo, July 6-28, 2024
"metaPhorest Biome", Shinjuku White House, Tokyo, July 6-28, 2024
"metaPhorest Biome", Shinjuku White House, Tokyo, July 6-28, 2024
"metaPhorest Biome", Shinjuku White House, Tokyo, July 6-28, 2024
5th anniversary meeting, Hitachi-Ohta, Japan, Dec 18, 2021
5th anniversary meeting, Hitachi-Ohta, Japan, Dec 18, 2021
5th anniversary meeting, Hitachi-Ohta, Japan, Dec 18, 2021
本作品は、2020年韓国ソウル郊外のプチョンで開催されたメディア芸術祭PREXTCE2020にaPrayerとCulturing <Paper>cutが招聘された際、新たに加えられたaPrayerプロジェクトの変奏である。
オリジナルのaPrayerプロジェクトは、先端技術として試みられている人工細胞あるいは人工生命の生命性を、慰霊という補助線を弾くことで論点化するとともに、微生物の慰霊も主題化していた。今回のversion 2.0では、コロナ禍で作者も韓国に赴けない中、バイオメディア・アートに動員された微生物たちに焦点を当てた。私は、折に触れて日本国内でのバイオメディア・アートの多くの展示に作家としてだけでなく技術協力者として携わっており、展示後の生物たちの処分を担ってきた。今回、作家たちの快諾を得て、展示後のサンプルを壺に入れて展示空間＝慰霊空間に展示した。
アートにおける生物の利用には様々な歴史的背景があり、倫理的に問われることも少なくない。これらの微生物たちも、慰霊に値するだろうか。あるいは、バイオメディア・アートの作家はこれらを慰霊すべきだろうか？ それともそれは独りよがりな欺瞞にすぎないのだろうか？
This work is a variation of aPrayer that was newly added when aPrayer and Culturing <Paper>cut were invited to the PREXTCE2020 media art festival held in Bucheon, South Korea, in 2020.
The original aPrayer project raised questions about the lifeness of artificial cells or artificial life—currently being explored as cutting-edge technologies—by drawing a parallel with the concept of commemoration, while also making the memorial service for microorganisms a central topic. In this version 2.0, while I was unable to visit to South Korea due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus added to the microorganisms engaged in bio-media art. I have frequently been involved in many bio-media art exhibitions in Japan, not only as an artist but also as a technical collaborator, and have been responsible for disposing of the organisms after the exhibitions. This time, with the artists’ kind understanding and permission, I placed post-exhibition samples in jars and displayed them within the exhibition space—a space of commemoration.
While the use of living organisms in art has a long history, it is also frequently subject to ethical scrutiny. Do these microorganisms, too, deserve to be commemorated? Or should bio-media artists commemorate them? Or is that nothing more than self-indulgent deception?
Adam Brown “[ir]reverent: Miracles on Demand” samples used for the exhibition at Japan Media Art Festival, Miraikan, Tokyo, 2020. (Grand Prize). The bacterium, Serratia marcescens was used for this artwork which is very critical about Christian narrative on miracles, possibly related with the relationship between humans and microorganisms.
Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr “Victimless Leather” samples used for the exhibition at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo 2009-2010. One of the most known bio-art works. Fungal contamination occurred during the exhibition on the cultured cells.
Georg Tremmel (BCL) “Resist /Refuse” (samples used for the exhibition in Tokyo, 2018-2020). Soil bacteria placed on ceramic pots, inspired by a wired attempt for biological weapon by Japanese military during WWII.
Giulia Tomasello “Future Flora” (samples used for the exhibition at Roppongi, Tokyo, 2019). Speculative biological art for female life using naturally inhabitant bacteria (lactobacterium), Lactobacillus sp.
Hideo Iwasaki “Culturing <Paper>cut” (samples used for the exhibition at ICC, Tokyo, 2013) and “Photoautotropika” (samples used for the exhibition in SCANZ, New Zealand, 2013). Cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria sp., Geitlerinema sp.
韓国での開催にあたっては、オリジナルのaPrayer 1.0と同様、新たに15組の合成生物学者、人工細胞研究者から、人工細胞にまつわる「亡骸」を提供してもらったものもガラス壺に入れて展示した。
これらは、石碑を設置している茨城県常陸太田市の旧酒蔵金波寒月にて、2021年のaPrayerの集いでも石碑上で展示された。また、2024年にはmetaPhorestのグループ展”metaPhorest Biome”でのaPrayer 1.0~3.0をまとめた”aPrayer Trilogy”の一環としても展示された。
For the exhibition in South Korea, just as with the original aPrayer 1.0, we displayed in glass jars “remains” related to artificial cells, newly provided by 15 synthetic biologists/artificial cell researchers.
These jars were also displayed atop the monument at the former sake brewery Kampa Kangetsu in Hitachi-Ota City, Ibaraki Prefecture, during the 2021 aPrayer meeting. Furthermore, in 2024, they were also exhibited as part of the “aPrayer Trilogy,” a compilation of aPrayer 1.0–3.0 presented at the metaPhorest group exhibition “metaPhorest Biome.”
協力いただいた皆様に感謝いたします。アーティストのAdam Brown, Oron Catts, Ionat Zurr, Guilia Tomasello, Goerg Tremmelの皆さん、合成生物学・人工細胞研究者の青野真士、藤原慶、市橋伯一、柿沢茂行、木賀大介、栗栖実、車兪徹、松尾宗征、野村M慎一郎、四ノ宮成礼、田端和仁、瀧ノ上正浩、豊田太郎、上田卓也の皆さん、PREXTCE2020実行委員の皆さん、折橋コミュニティステーションの皆さん、metaPhorestの皆さん、
参考文献： 岩崎秀雄（2022）時間軸の代謝:「人工細胞と人工知能の慰霊」について 『現代生命哲学研究』11:27-40
Special thanks to artists (Adam Brown, Oron Catts, Ionat Zurr, Guilia Tomasello and Goerg Tremmel) for collaboration and providing the biomedia art samples, biological researchers (Masashi Aono, Kei Fujiwara, Norikazu Ichihashi, Shigeyuki Kakizawa, Daisuke Kiga, Minoru Kurisu, Yutetsu Kuruma, Muneyuki Matsuo, Shin-Ichiro M Nomura, Nariyoshi Shinomiya, Kazuhito Tabata, Masahiro Takinoue, Taro Toyota and Takuya Ueda), PREXTCE2020 committee members, Orihashi Community Station members and metaPhorest members.