Perhaps the the gold standard for cooperation between artists and scientists the SymbioticA project, based at the University of Western Australia offers resources in biotechnology, neuroscience and computer science to artist residents who have included Critical Art Ensemble, Marta de Menezes, Adam Zaretsky, ORLAN, Isa Gordon and many others. SymbioticA also runs courses and workshops and produces exhibitions.
“SymbioticA was established in 2000 by cell biologist Professor Miranda Grounds, neuroscientist Professor Stuart Bunt and artist Oron Catts.
Catts and Assistant Professor Ionat Zurr from the Tissue Culture and Art Project, had been working as artists/researchers in residence in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology and the Lions Eye Institute since 1996. Their shared vision for a permanent space for artists to engage with science in various capacities led to the creation of the artists’ studio/lab within the school.” (http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/home/about)
Research area include art and biology, art and ecology, bioethics, neuroscience, tissue engineering and sleep science. The project has enabled a primary generation of artists working with ‘wet biology’ a unique opportunity to work together with specialists using the newest technologies.
