2019 Year 12 IB Extended Essays

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

Piccinini’s purpose -

Piccinini describes this exhibition of works as a “symbolic representation of a place where technology has become so natural it takes on a life of its own” (Piccinini, n.d.). In doing so, what is Piccinini hoping to evoke about this artificial-natural relationship? In her extensive collection of works, Piccinini does not stray away from exploring different perspectives on biological engineering. A prime example of this is in The Young Family (2002), although this piece effectively questions the ethics of creating organisms only for them to be used and eventually killed, Piccinini also highlights the immensely positive effects their organs and life could have. I believe Piccinini uses this platform not to voice and enforce her opinion but to explore future possibilities and question the many ethical points of view present about bioengineering. Including; the ways in which it could benefit the human condition, (both in terms of health and aesthetic purposes), the ethical problems with using living organisms and resources, ‘playing god’, the naturalistic perspective of interfering with the natural world and lastly how these organisms will co-exist. However, this diverse coverage of perspectives must be taken with a grain of salt, as it is almost impossible not to be swayed by personal emotion and opinion, especially in the creation of art. This is evident in the subtle commentary and repeated notions in her works. For instance, Piccinini’s incorporation of an atmosphere which encourages the audience to emotionally associate with the transgenic creatures; regardless of whether the organism is in a positive or negative scenario. In sparking this emotional response within the audience and contrasting it to the dark/harsh reality of the subject matter, this in a sense implies Piccinini’s true intent of lamenting the immorality of testing and using these organisms for our personal gain. Another notion that is crucial in understanding Piccinini’s purpose of these works is

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