NEW ORLEANS– We found an artist who creates work unlike anything we’ve ever seen before! It is art made from glow-in-the-dark bacteria!
News with a Twist Reporter Kenny Lopez shows us how a scientist makes art!
Hunter Cole is an artist and lecturer in the Biology Department at Loyola University. She’s using glow-in-the-dark bacteria from fish guts found in the Pacific Ocean to create the marvelous art.
“I started doing it because I met a scientist who had a student culture the bacteria and draw a heart for his wife in the bacteria. I thought if you can draw a heart with the bacteria then you can draw a lot of other things,” Cole said.
Hunter sketches the shapes on paper then organizes the bacteria into the shapes and she’ll photograph her work and give it a theme.
For her this art project is about finding beauty in something that you wouldn’t necessarily expect.
“It’s a unique way of combining science and art. The bacteria just looks yellow in regular light, but not too exciting. In the dark, the bacteria glows in a real surreal way,” she said.
“It actually naturally glows in the ark. It’s interesting because bioluminescent has various functions like communication between predator and prey, relationships, mating, but this bacteria glows for no apparent reason,” Cole stated.
This art is nice and bright, and electrifying, but is it safe to work with?
“The bacteria is completely harmless. I’ve touched it before and it is completely covered and contained,” she said.
This Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cole’s photographs will come to life with an interactive exhibit showing. The show is called, “Glow: An Illuminated Living Art Experience.” The event will be held at the Zeitgeist Theatre, and it is free. Guests will have the opportunity to walk into the dark theatre illuminated by never-before-seen art. There will be dancers wearing “glowing art” costumes. Guests can photograph themselves with the bacteria, and the art will be available for purchase.
For more information, click HERE.
