Dyed kombucha SCOBY growing in petri dishes
Introduction
As a 2021 Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the Board on Life Sciences (BLS) in the Division of Earth and Life Sciences (DELS), the best part of my NASEM experience was getting to know my amazing colleagues. In addition to being a PhD student in Biology at Stanford University, I am also a bio artist. I find art is a wonderful way to share stories and wanted to pursue a joint art project with my colleagues in BLS to connect with them.
Inspiration
Our collaborative project was inspired by two groups of collaborators, a group of teens known as the GIY (Grow-Your-Own) BioBuddies, and bioartist Corinne Okada Takara. We work together through BioJam, a STEAM youth program that we co-lead in the Greater Bay Area of California focused on social and environmental justice in biodesign.
Check out the amazing protocols from the GIY Biobuddies here.
You can order their Kombucha Leather kit on Etsy here.
Growing through collaboration
This art project explores the relationship between identity, culture, and microbiomes. Tina Seliber (HMD) shared her SCOBY, the snot-like symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that makes kombucha, which I grew in petri dishes and dried to form “kombucha leather.” With Taylor Jones (DELS), we designed and cut silhouettes of each staff member in BLS. Food dye was shared by Nikki Teran (PGA).
Sharing culture through storytelling
Everyone in BLS brought in personally-relevant materials and designed a portrait of themselves that blended their identity, culture and microbiome. Through the process of making, we shared stories about our childhoods and favorite memories. This project was a way for us to connect and learn about each other, despite the isolation of the pandemic. Jessica DeMouy (DELS) says, “Our pieces turned out completely different and I loved hearing the great stories behind the art!”
Final exhibition
The artwork is exhibited in the 6th floor of the National Academies’ Keck Building, in the BLS hallway.
