With this article, it features modern artists who use bioluminescence as an art form. One of the artists include Hunter Cole, who uses bioluminescent bacteria to paint onto petri dishes. It is a very interesting concept because with the more time that passes, the bacteria slowly die thus the weaker the glow is. This isn’t meaningless as it is stated that the ‘…Concept of life and death is what drives “Living drawings”. It emphasises the point that life is temporary, and by using microorganisms, it suggests that thought even more so as they fade and die. In my opinion, these works give off surreal, strange and eerie vibes. One of the works that stands out the most to me is, ‘Towers of Light Reflected in Glasses VI: Portrait of Peter N. Gray’. In this photograph, there are stacks of petri dishes that surround a male figure, whom seems to be glaring straight forward in a way that meets the eye. Furthermore, this work brings forth feelings of judgement and discomfort, which makes me theorise that the meaning behind this is relevant to how we as a society mostly focus on the past, rather than progressing into the future. For example, a lot of us make mistakes and tend to dwell on past events and perhaps the glasses act as a metaphor to how we reflect this upon ourselves.
Miya Ando is another artist who also has been mentioned in this article. The piece that is mentioned here shows the usage of photography, which seems to be the artists main inspiration. Her artwork in a general sense is contemporary and minimalistic in feature. However, in this one photograph, she has used bioluminescent properties to paint petals on top of a body of water. The work itself provides a contrast between the non-bioluminescent background which is dark and dreary, in comparison to the petals, which seem to be the main focus. According to the article, ‘…the project was inspired by the Japanese festival, Obon’, and as this festival is a symbol of passing, it gestures that this piece is a metaphor for this process. Perhaps the dark background conveys death, whereas the petals could presumably act as a metaphor for these spirits due to their vibrancy and also placement.
In conclusion, both of these artists have used bioluminescence as a way of symbolising life and death in their own ways. I wonder if the reason for this is due to how the subjects stand out against normal objects, creating an odd juxtaposition, an opposing element. Although I like both artists interpretations on this, I do prefer the work of Hunter Cole. This is mostly due to how it is more appealing to me with the use of illustrations and lettering. Whilst neither of these artists are animation orientated, their work has insired me with more knowledge on the subject of bioluminescence. It has also taught me more on how compositions can be powerful if done correctly. Ultimately, I will take what I have learned here to apply to my own work, in the sense of creativity and, ‘thinking outside the box’.
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