2016 - still in progress
In the
safe suicide project, its assumptions were adjusted to the rules of the place in which it was conducted. Although the main idea was quite simple, a lot of questions have arisen (I had a few opportunities to witness it during a few presentations of my project which have already taken place). As a part of my art & science research, I grew my own cells by myself (with scientific support). The experiment was conducted at first with use of immortalized B lymphocytes, later with fibroblasts.
I
The goal of my sterile work in the first stage was to prepare my cells for death. I took care of them in order to kill them in various experimental ways. Thus, in a way it was my multiple cellular suicide.
The visual side of the
safe suicide project was followed by a scientific context. I tried to show the plain aesthetics of biological research, respecting the common order of the surroundings where I worked. The visual core of the first part of the project were pictures of my dying cells. I used fluorescence and confocal microscopes in this phase of the work. The images were printed onto porcelain plates in the form of traditional Polish funeral pictures. I also collected the test tubes with the remains of my cells inside. The visual presentations of the project at this stage took the form of a symbolic cemetery. Performance, in this case, was based mainly on the context shift. This shift in the realm of meaning seems to be the biggest challenge for biologists, who suddenly become a part of artistic activity.
The most debatable aspect of the first part of
safe suicide is the issue of liminal life’s (cells) subjectification. Biologists work on cells derived from patients or bought from specialized companies. They do not usually work on their own biological material, which arguably allows them to maintain distance towards their laboratory work. In my case, this distance was not entirely possible because I was working with cells coming from my own body. Therefore, there was the constant question of whether the cells separated from my organism and cultivated in in vitro conditions were still a part of me. Another question is: am I performing self-destruction while killing my cells? It seems to be obvious that it is not identical, at least from the scientific point of view. However, it shows the dichotomy between the two worlds: nature and post-nature. I define post-nature world as the area of laboratories, where life is sustained in special conditions. These two worlds existing in parallel fascinate me.
II
In the second stage of the project I explored the process of my cellular aging (in the meaning of passing), comparing the biological material resulting from the cultivation with observations of visual changes of my skin. The changes observed at the two levels (micro and macro-level), throughout the same period of time, are absolutely incomparable to one another.
Places of realisation:
Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
Laboratory of Confocal Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
Laboratory of Cellular Aging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw
Scientific support:
Prof. Paweł Golik
PhD Agata Kodroń
PhD Magdalena Kaliszewska
PhD Bohdan Paterczyk
PhD Anna Bielak-Żmijewska
PhD Agnieszka Bojko
PhD candidate Wioleta Grabowska
Portraits for the II part of the project: Patrycja Wojtas
Places of presentation:
Membranes out of order, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin (2023)
Beyond borders. Processed body - expanded brain - distributed agency, CSW Łaźnia, Gdańsk (2019)
Non-human time, exhibition, Gallery of Contemporary Art, Opole (2016)
Temptation of immortality, exhibition in frame of Przemiany Festival, Copernicus Science Center (2016)
Pernicious predilection, exhibition in Labirynt Gallery, Lublin (2017)
