2019 Year 12 IB Extended Essays

To what extent does Patricia Piccinini challenge our perspective on the ethics of bioengineering?

Introduction Ever since postmodernism, as early as the 1940s, the manifestation of art has become far more than a showcase of skill or creativity, artists have begun to use their works as a platform to postulate their opinions and ideas on political and ethical debates. Patricia Piccinini, an Australian artist born in 1965, plays a vastly significant role in this movement. With her hyper-realistic transgenic creations, Piccinini has been labelled the most well-known contemporary artist in the world and in 2014 was awarded the Melbourne lifetime achievement award (Cathcart and Kanowski, 2014). Most recognised for the bending or warping of mundane organisms and objects into uniquely esoteric life-like creations, Piccinini’s works vacillate and advocate on topics of bioengineering and the ethics surrounding it. Biological engineering is the application of engineering and design concepts/procedures to biology and medicine for either cosmetic or therapeutic purposes (Bee.cals.cornell.edu, 2019). A large facet of this phenomenon concerns itself with the modification of life and the creation of new organisms; hence, this has become a radical ethical dilemma for many. Therefore, I have decided to explore the ontology behind this ethical debate and ultimately question: to what extent does Patricia Piccinini challenge our perspective on the ethics of bioengineering? In order to achieve this, I will investigate the implications and ethical stances on this phenomenon, delve into Piccinini’s past, as well as the creative process and epistemology behind her art. Furthermore, I will analyse her works The Young Family (2002), The Bond (2016) and Embryo (2016) with the intent of evaluating the notions and concepts illustrated in her works. Patricia Piccinini’s ability to appeal to the audience’s pathos and ambiguously depict such a polarizing phenomenon allows her to not only immensely expand social/ethical awareness but nonetheless encourage the individual to question and refine his or her perspective.

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