ABSTRACT
Life science artists predict, reflect, and influence the public’s concerns and expectations about genetic technologies, sometimes before the technologies themselves are adopted into society. Artists’ works addressing genetic developments provide a valuable resource to help sculpt public policies about genetic technologies, including CRISPR. Artists have questioned the sources of information regarding the safety and application of genetic technologies. They have rallied for consumers to have a stronger voice in the development and deployment of genetic technologies and have shown how technologies can be better designed to meet actual needs. Artists have challenged the current regulations, or lack thereof, that allow (or prohibit) the use of genetic information and genetic technologies. By employing scientific tools for artistic purposes, they have also raised profound ethical issues about commercialization in the realm of the life sciences and what can be done so that scientists do not hide their mistakes.
