Index

Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature

sound-installation: wood, genetically modified fruit flies, flower-box, Venus flytrap, speakers, clipping board, paper, Basis, Frankfurt, 2008

The work is based on genetically-modified fruit flies that grow long axillary hair, sourced from the Institute for Molecular Biology in Vienna. The fruit fly is regarded as a model organism due to its fast reproduction circle and its comparatively low ethical significance.
A flower-box with carnivorous plants is attached to a grid-shaped sculpture, where it functions as a speaker, amplifying the voice of the scientist Leonie Ringrose, who leads the research team working with the aforementioned organisms. She discusses her approaches and her motivation to conceptualize and to mimic natural processes.
With her installation, Hornek links highly prevalent questions of reality production, as guided by culture and science. If gene manipulation actively engages in the production of reality, it becomes clear on the level of media just how effectively our life is shaped by images and their mediation. Hornek illustrates this potential by installing several copies of images on the exhibition wall, including an art-historical reference to Picasso"s 1958 painting Femme couchée au bouquet, which featured a woman revealing her armpit hair. This element of the image did not draw attention at the time, since this was common for France in the 1950s, in contrast to today’s ideas of female beauty. Other pictures show the chronology of breeding modified flies in the artist’s studio.

basis, Frankfurt, MAY I INTRODUCE MYSELF

www.basis-frankfurt.de

genetically modified fruit fly with "axillary hair"
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
exhibition view, Basis, Frankfurt, 2008
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
Reclining Woman with Bouquet, Pablo Picasso 1958
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
breeding, genetically modified fruit fly with "axillary hair"
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
flower-box, Venus flytraps, integraded speakers, sound: Interview with Leonie Ringrose, molicolar biologist
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature
breeding, studio
Katrin Hornek Introducing Fruit Flies With Axillary Hair to Mother Nature

The work is based on genetically-modified fruit flies that grow long axillary hair, sourced from the Institute for Molecular Biology in Vienna. The fruit fly is regarded as a model organism due to its fast reproduction circle and its comparatively low ethical significance.
A flower-box with carnivorous plants is attached to a grid-shaped sculpture, where it functions as a speaker, amplifying the voice of the scientist Leonie Ringrose, who leads the research team working with the aforementioned organisms. She discusses her approaches and her motivation to conceptualize and to mimic natural processes.
With her installation, Hornek links highly prevalent questions of reality production, as guided by culture and science. If gene manipulation actively engages in the production of reality, it becomes clear on the level of media just how effectively our life is shaped by images and their mediation. Hornek illustrates this potential by installing several copies of images on the exhibition wall, including an art-historical reference to Picasso"s 1958 painting Femme couchée au bouquet, which featured a woman revealing her armpit hair. This element of the image did not draw attention at the time, since this was common for France in the 1950s, in contrast to today’s ideas of female beauty. Other pictures show the chronology of breeding modified flies in the artist’s studio.

basis, Frankfurt, MAY I INTRODUCE MYSELF

www.basis-frankfurt.de