Eduardo Kac's Transgenic Art: From GFP Bunny to Biotelematics

Eduardo Kac, an artist working at the intersection of mythopoetics and biotechnology, has pioneered transgenic art since the late 1990s. In 1997, he introduced the term 'biorobotics' through his work A-positive, proposing future robots with biological components. In 1998, while planning a green fluorescent dog, he coined 'transgenic art.' His first transgenic work, Genesis, was exhibited in 1999 at Ars Electronica in Linz. The following year, he created GFP Bunny, featuring Alba, a transgenic rabbit with green fluorescent protein, along with its social integration and public debate. The work was intended for presentation in Avignon. His latest piece, The Eighth Day, presents an ecology of green fluorescent creatures including a biobot connected to the internet, GFP fish, mice, amoebas, and plants. Frank Popper, professor emeritus at Paris VIII University and curator, authored the text translated by Pierre Camus. Kac's work has significantly impacted contemporary art by merging art with genetic engineering and raising cultural and ethical questions.