Crude Life: The Tissue Culture & Art Project. Oron Catts + Ionat Zurr

Catalogue of “Crude Life” exhibition — a Tissue Culture & Art Project (Oron Catts & Ionat Zurr) retrospective, that took place at Laznia CCA in April 2012. The Tissue Culture & Art Project was established in 1996 to explore the possibilities offered to artists by growing living tissue. The idea of growing objects rather than manufacturing them has been researched and critiqued through the notion of the Semi-Living by TC&A. The artists construct objects using regenerative abilities of the biological body. By growing skin, muscle, bone, nerve cells over various materials TC&A has explored the philosophical and practical aspects of the creation of semi-living. This retrospective exhibition explored the trajectory of artistic experimentation, from growing replicas of prehistoric stone-tools; critiquing the fetish in new approaches to life; growing meat, leather and extra ears to abstracting the Golem. The TC&A project was central to the establishment in 2000 of SymbioticA — The Centre of Excellence in Biological Arts, School of Anatomy and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia. The book includes theoretical texts concerned with Tissue Culture & Art Project and Crude Life exhibition written by Joanna Zylinska, Monika Bakke, Maciej Ożóg, Ryszard W. Kluszczyński and the artists — Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr.