SELF PORTRAIT is a multi-disciplinary project combining sociology of bioscience with identity expression through art.
Its aim is to examine population categorisations and classifications currently applied in bioscience, with a focus on ‘mixed-race’, ’other’ or similar designations inferring a post-colonial, multicultural identity.
To that end the genome of the artist – Robin Bhattacharya – is to be sequenced and mapped using different marker categorisations. Their applicability can then be evaluated against the specific sample, which is multi-national/ethnic and has a well-documented genealogy.
The different types of classifying are to be made ‘visible’ using information visualisation. The result of which will be an artefact ‘representing’ the different possible populations making up the artists cultural identity.
This SELF PORTRAIT of the artist Robin Bhattacharya will then be presented as an installation in a touring exhibition at various international art spaces. (Dates and locations forthcoming)
