Monday, October 14, 2013

Artist Creates Faces from DNA Left in Public - Carolyn Villalobos 4th Period

Heather Dewey-Hagborg is a New York artist who creates 3-D faces from DNA she finds in public, she calls the project "Stranger Visions". She takes cigarette butts, chewing gum, or even a stand of hair left on a chair or bench and takes it to a genetics lab to extract the DNA from it. She uses the information found in the DNA to create a relatively accurate rending of the person's face. While there is no way to make the faces an exact replica of the person who the DNA belongs to, she can get it within what she calls a more familial resemblance, they are but a general likeness.

Her work raises up some questions about genetic surveillance and privacy issues. She acknowledges that some people might find her work creepy and says that the point of the work is to "meant to make you aware of these issues and make you aware that this is possible." I actually find this quite interesting, and while yes, it is a little bit creepy the amount of information about oneself that can be extrapolated from a bit of DNA that is left out in public, there is really nothing too important in it other than what you look like.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/tech/innovation/dna-face-sculptures/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

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