
BioArt
mycelium,
mushroom
bacteria growing on lunar soil
generated by DallE2
BIOART WORKSHOP
15-19 March 2023
Singapore Art Museum
Synthetic Biology + Art
Concept
Intimacy with Nature explores our socio ecological system, as well as how human civilisation affects and changes biodiversity and climate. What role does biotechnology and life sciences play in protecting and restoring nature that has been lost or creating future nature?
Background
Futuristic Research Cluster (FREAK Lab) is an anti-disciplinary research cluster that explores the symbiotic relationship between human, art and technology. Convened by project leader Henry Tan during their time in-residence, FREAK Lab aims to develop a research framework for Intimacy with Nature, a nomadic research and production platform that is interested in how human activity affects socio-ecological systems such as biological diversity and climate. Intimacy with Nature will examine bio-aesthetics and the intersections between art, ecology, biology and nature to answer the following question: how do new innovations in biotechnology protect the natural world, restore what has been lost, or devise new futures?
FREAK Lab prototypes and researches, whilst leveraging on art and installations, to reimagine possible realities. The interdisciplinary FREAK community brings scholars, experts, artists, and technicians together to transform ideas of the future into practical, feasible applications. It aims to travel across continents to find new encounters in different natural environments. Its first iteration was held in Thailand and will now unfold in a new phase in Singapore.
As part of SAM Residencies, EX-SITU resident collective FREAKLAB will host another iteration of Intimacy with Nature, a 5-day workshop focusing on bio-art. This workshop will comprise of lectures, hands-on seminars and off-site tours.
We join force with Global Community Bio Summit and share principle which is to fundamentally transform life sciences & democratize biotechnology to inspire creativity and improve lives by organizing life science change-makers and bio enthusiasts to build an inclusive global network, cultivate an accessible commons of knowledge and resources, launch community labs and projects, and enable local educators.

PHASE 2 : BIO ART WORKSHOP
Supporter

















Speakers

Hideo Iwasaki
Biologist/Artist
Director: metaPhorest
Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Waseda University

Regine Rapp
Art Historian and curator
Co-director of Art Laboratory Berlin

Pakpoom Subsoontorn
Bioengineer, Professor Department of Medical Science, Naresuan University
Co-organizer

Georg Tremmel
Artist
Director: Bioclub Tokyo
metaPhorest
Co-organizer

Adeline Seah
Biologist
ecosystem builder
molecular biologist
Co-organizer

Saad Chinoy
Edible Maker Space
Spudnik Lab

Thanakrit Wongsatit
Undergrad, Kaist, Korea
Biologist
Co-organizer

Waritsara Panya
Biologist
Subsoontorn Laboratory
Co-organizer

Tan Ding Jie (DJ)
Co-Founder & CTO, Prefer

Bingyu Cai
Ground-up Initiative

Michelle Tan
Foodie Forager
Urban Jungle Folks

Aditya Aryandi
Biologist
Co-organizer

Ngiam Li Yi
Artist
Co-organizer

Henry Tan
Artist
Freaklab
metaPhorest
Henryandpartners
Co-organizer

Din Chan
Artist
Co-organizer

Wave Pongruengkiat
Artist
Co-organizer

Elaine Regina
Post-Discplinary Designer
Foldscope

Chin Yi Loh
Product Specialist (Cosmetics) | Business Development | R&D
Allozyme

Shirley Ong
Business Development Associate
Allozyme

Aulia Reski Widyaningrum
Co-Founder Synbio.ID & Laboratory Analyst
Program
Day 1: 15 March 2023 (Wednesday) 3rd floor @Singapore Art Museum Tanjong Pagar |
10.00 Open Plenary Henry Tan Pakpoom Subsoontorn |
10.30 Hello World |
11.00 DNA Storage, and How to Genetic Engineer Everything Pakpoom Subsoontorn |
13.00 Biosafety Hideo Iwasaki |
13.30 Hideo Iwasaki |
14.30 Regine Rapp (Art Laboratory Berlin) |
15.30 Georg Tremmel |
16.30 Foldscope by Elaine Regina |
Day 2: 16th March 2023 (Thursday) – COLOUR & SMELL |
9.30 – 11.00 Visit: Botanic Gardens Tour by Urban Jungle Folks and Juan herbal cuisine meeting point: Napier MRT station exit 1 (bring water, walking shoes, umbrella/hat) limited to total 30 participants for 2 group |
Afternoon session location: 3rd floor Singapore Art Museum Tanjong Pagar |
13.00 – 14.00 Molecular Soundtrack: Designing Proteins with IU’s Song Titles by Thanakrit (bring laptop or tablet or mobile devices) |
14.15 – 14.30 Lab Protocol for Cyanobacteria Hideo Iwasaki |
14.40 – 18.00 Wetlab Workshop: DNA Extraction, Gel Loading, PCR, Foldscope, Agrobacterium Peilin, Pakpoom, Aditya, Georg, Wave, Din |
19.00 – 20.30 Forum: The Ethics of BioArt Hideo Iwasaki, Regine Rapp, Georg Tremmel Moderator: Pakpoom Subsoontorn, Shawn Chua |
Day 3: 17th March 2023 (Friday) – SYNBIO INDUSTRY |
10.00 – 12.00 Visit: Allozyme ( limited to selected 12 participants ) Location: Allozyme 3 Biopolis Dr, #05-19, Singapore 138623 https://goo.gl/maps/uuepSRGWXdCKLsWD8 |
Afternoon session location: 3rd floor Singapore Art Museum Tanjong Pagar |
13.00 – 14.00 Alternative Coffee (TBC) Tan Ding Jie |
14.00 – 15.00 Synbio.id (TBC) |
15.00 – 16.00 Talk and Workshop: SynBio and Cosmetics (TBC) Allozymes |
Day 4: 18th March 2023 (Saturday) – CONNECTING WITH NATURE (bring water, umbrella/hat, walking shoes) |
10.00 – 12.00 Visit: Edible Maker Space Location: 801 French Rd, #02-47, Singapore 200801 https://goo.gl/maps/grAxC3f1ySU4RN9G7 Saad will give a tour (20mins/round) first come first serve. |
Afternoon session location: Ground-up Initiative Location: 91 Lor Chencharu, Singapore 769201 https://goo.gl/maps/kpMMd3ih6z3cg6Au9 |
13.00 – 15.00 Visit: Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) |
15.00 – 16.00 Echolocation workshop by Esther Lu Location: Ground-Up Initiative |
16.00 – 17.00 The Spirit House by Din Chan & Wave Pongruengkiat |
Day 5: 19th March 2023 (Sunday) – DIY and Artists sharing Location: 136 Goethe Lab at Goethe Institut Singapore 136 Neil Rd, Singapore 088865 https://goo.gl/maps/yD7W1CUgse9sGkjM9 |
10.00 – 12.00 Workshop: Microbial Fuel Cell Saad – Edible MakerSpace |
13.00 Artist Presentation: A Curious Mould to a Wonder Drug: Penicillin & antibiotics and how to grow them. by Din Chan, Peilin |
14.30 Artist Presentation: Observing & Being Observe by Wave Pongruengkiat |
16.00 Forum: Intimacy with Nature Henry, Pakpoom, Adeline, Georg, Sean, Regine, Thanakrit |
17.00 Closing |
[prayer ; performance] by Din Chan |
Workshop welcome kit, hands on workshop and offsite tour name list
References and Links
Biosafety, Ethics and Share purposes
Phase 1 – July 2022
PHASE 1 : Residency and Biohacking Workshop – Click here

PHASE 1 : BIO HACKING WORKSHOP
Location:
Naresuan University, Phitsanulok
Date:
17-23 July 2022
Article: Sensory Spirit Spiral by Pakpoom Subsoontorn
THIS WORKSHOP IS FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE
กิจกรรมจะดำเนินด้วยภาษาอังกฤษและไทย
การเดินทางระหว่างกิจกรรมอาจมีค่าใช้จ่าย (ค่ารถตู้)
ตารางกิจกรรมเวิร์คชอป
Workshop schedule
ช่องทางการติดต่อ
Residency Program
The first international art+science residency program in Thailand to provide space and resources for discussion and collaboration between artists, scientists and locals on life sciences and culture hosted by Prof. Pakpoom Subsoontorn an expert in synthetic biology at medical science department, Naresuan University
Our 3 years pilot program will lead to an Integration of Art & Science into university curriculum
Artists

Chu Hao Pei (1990, Singapore)
is a visual artist whose works are primarily influenced by his long-standing interest in the interrelations between culture and the environment. Hao Pei’s practice explores the shifting physical, sociological and emotional connections with our natural and urban landscapes. His works shed light on the overlooked and accidental by interweaving the processes of engagement, documentation and research to examine the complexities of environmental and cultural loss (or resurgence) shaped by political, economic and social factors. Hao Pei uses certain methods of documentation and representation to reveal aspects of his subject, while also both concealing and drawing attention to what cannot yet be communicated or understood.

Georg Tremmel (1977, Tokyo)
is an Austrian artist who currently lives in Japan, working in a DNA analysis laboratory at the Institute for Medical Science at the University of Tokyo. Tremmel and the Japanese artist Shiho Fukuhara (1976) together form the art duo BCL. BCL explores the relationships between biological and cultural codes by means of artistic interventions and social research. They have created various works revolving around art and modification, including ‘Biopresence’: a proposal to insert the DNA of recently deceased loved ones into trees to turn them into physical memorials. Georg also hosted Biocamp Japan 2018 and Organizer at Global Bio Community Summit at MIT’s Media Lab.

Wave Pongruengkiat (Chiangmai)
is Thai Art-Sci enthusiasm. He graduated from engineering school. He was passionate in art and in 2019, he started his first art exhibition during Chiang Mai Design Week. The projects are mostly interactive and generative art. Where he collaborated with local artists.

Weed Day (Taipei)
is run by two foraging artists. They are conscious of the current city landscapes and the ways in which humans interact with nature. They make weed tea among other everyday essentials with the foraged weeds. When foraging they choose the more dominant and invasive plants leaving more space for native species resulting in a more biodiverse environment. To them, the weeds speak for the land. Tea is also a huge part of everyday life in Taiwan.
To them, weed tea is the start of the conversation to help people become aware of the environment and its diversity. Every time they make tea it is with a different combination of site-specific plants (usually more than 20 types of plants) thus for every tea they make they write the ingredients to show people the diverse amount of plants that surround us even within the city. They want people to understand that we all depend on microorganisms, insects, plants, and animals to continue to stay alive and healthy. Past projects have included calligraphy, installations, performances, community projects among others. The two of them believe that we all as humans need to become the protector of nature‘s biodiversity.

Hanna Saito (Tokyo)
graduated from Tama Art University (Craft Department, Glass Course) with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. After graduating, she joined metaPhorest (biological / bio-media art platform)in the Laboratory for Molecular Cell Network & Biomedia Art, at Waseda University as an artist and visiting researcher. Since 2021, she enrolled in the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo (Yasuaki Kakehi Lab.) She’s creating artworks using scientific glass production techniques, organisms, organic matter, image analysis, etc.. She’s main themes are to reconsider the borders of nature/society, human/non-human, and the indivisibility of the expresser and the object of the expression at the interdisciplinary viewpoint.

Mahyuddin Chan, or Din Chan (1989, Singapore)
is an interactive installation artist and art therapist. Using technology as his medium, his work engages not just the viewers’ gaze, but also their senses and the physicality of their bodies. Through such interactivity, viewers are invited to be collaborators in the art-making process, creating a multi-faceted and inclusive vision together.
Scientists

Residency Manual for Artist
Preliminary workshop 5-6 February 2022

Intimacy with Nature playlist
Hosts

Henry Tan (Bangkok)
Henry is an artist based in Bangkok, Co Founder of Tentacles Art Space in 2014, member of Freaklab, Thailand and metaPhorest, Japan, Biosummit Fellow 2019
Henry’s practice proposes and investigates socio ecological phenomena through understanding the advancement in technology, state ideology and policy

Pakpoom Subsoontorn, Phd. (Phitsanukok)
is a bioengineer, a lecturer at Naresuan University and former deputy director of the Lower Northern Science Park. He specialises in synthetic biology, an emerging research area related to design and construction of artificial biological devices and living systems. His work in synthetic DNA logic switching and data storage has been recognised as providing key innovations in programming life.

BIPAM
Beginning in 2016 as the Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting, Southeast Asia’s performing arts gathering and exchange platform, BIPAM has grown to become a performing arts management service organization based in Bangkok. BIPAM was founded by an arts manager collective with a vision to become the gateway for the world to take a step deeper into the various contexts of Southeast Asia where rich diversity in performing arts is ever-thriving, connecting Southeast Asian performing arts professionals with the international performing arts scenes. Moreover, BIPAM works to enhance the competence of local professionals through BIPAM’s own initiatives, collaboration projects with local and international art organizations, and other arts management services.
Supported by
Naresuan University
Singapore Art Museum
BIPAM
metaPhorest
BioClub Tokyo
Austria Embassy Bangkok
Global Community Bio Summit
PRESS