On Nov 8th, 5-7 pm at Sanctuary for Independent Media, Troy, NY you are invited to participate in a workshop co-led by artist Boryana Rossa and biologist Heidi Hehnly.  Through the lens of an artist-scientist collaboration, this experimental hands-on workshop will stimulate conversations from the biological to the ethical — including discussion of genetic predisposition of behavior and policing, as well as scientific and media representations of the state of genetic research.

Rossa will also present her “Mirror of Faith” bio-art project, meant to provoke critical public dialogue about genetic research, exposing some issues this technology and its political and commercial promotion creates.

A message from Boryana and Heidi:

During this workshop, create your chimera. You will collage and create your own imaginary bestiary creature based on genetics as both dream and science.  Speculate on its aesthetic, metaphorical, fantastical, or utilitarian properties, its ethical ramifications, and us.

This program is FREE and open to all!

Bring two or more objects (stuffed and plastic toys, plants, but not living animals) that represent these species from which you will create your chimera. For instance, an elephant stuffed toy and a lavender plant. During the workshop, you will make a collaged chimerical object and write a paragraph description of the use of this chimera or its aesthetics. Any approach is good – playful, anecdotal, or serious. At the end, we will make a book with images of the chimeras and their descriptions, which will resemble an ancient bestiary. During your work, we will engage you in complex conversations about genetic modification.