PostNatural Organisms of the European Union is an installation of the Pittsburgh-based Center for PostNatural History, where PostNatural refers to living organisms that have been altered through processes such as selective breeding or genetic engineering. The exhibit consists of living, preserved and documented organisms of postnatural origin and tells a story of human-guided evolution from the diversity of form exhibited by modern dog breeds, through to the genetically enhanced avian flu virus that caused so much controversy in the recent years. Each exhibit is designed to address a single viewer at a time. Telephone handsets deliver an audio narrative while a dim spot light becomes brighter, illuminating the subject at hand.
Highlights of the exhibit include the Norwegian Svalbard global seed vault, alcoholic rats bred in Finland, mice embryos from Portugal that have no ribs, the red canary (arguably the first genetically engineered species) from Germany, a tulip variety dating back to 1620, shortly before the famous "Tulipmania" engulfed the Netherlands economy and a transgenic mosquito meant to fight malaria. Each exhibit tells a story of the relationship between humans and a particular species.
Richard Pell lecture
Kapelica Gallery
Kersnikova 4, Ljubljana
Through 22 February 2013
PostNatural Organisms of the European Union
Kapelica Gallery
Kersnikova 4, Ljubljana