The Bioart & Design Award (BAD) is a Netherlands-based bioart competition that focusses on interdisciplinary thinking and art-based research. Dutch and international participants are judged by an international jury, with winners receiving 25.000€ each to further realise their bioart research projects. The most recent edition of the annual award to date took place in 2024.
Overview The first bioart and design competition took place in 2010 under the name Designers & Artists 4 Genomics Award (DA4GA) which it kept until 2013. Since then the award has collaborated with various Dutch art and cultural research institutions, including the Netherlands Genomics Initiative, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Centre for Society & Genomics, ZonMw, NWO, Mu Hybrid Art House, Waag Futurelab, Bio Art Laboratories, and other educational partners.
The award matches recent art and design graduates with researchers to create bioart projects that can then be entered and exhibited as part of the competition. After participating in a matchmaking event, teams consisting of both artists and researchers propose their projects to an international jury. The three winning teams receive the price money of 25.000€ and have six months to create their bioart pieces, which are then exhibited at the end of the year.
Science communication and impact study In 2017, an impact study was conducted on the science communication potential and influence on the artistic and research creations by participants of the award. It uses a mixed methods approach consisting of a survey and interviews with everyone involved in setting up, judging and participating in the competition. The study revealed that participating in the competition as a researcher made them re-evaluate their own approaches to scientific thinking towards a more art-based, interdisciplinary way. Additionally, the collaboration between recently graduated design and art students and life sciences researchers fostered a development of new scientific tools and research methodologies. The study was published again in a book about the award in 2022 by design writer William Myers.
Winners +All recorded winners and projects of the Bioart & Design AwardYearWinnersArtwork Title2010Jalila Essaïdi with Marcel PiëtBulletproof Skin: 2.6g 329m/sMaurizio Montalti with Prof. Dr. Han WöstenSystem SyntheticsMatthijs Munnik with Richard de BoerMicroscopic Opera2011Tiddo Bakker with Henk Jalink & Rob van der SchoorIn Vena VerbumCenter for Genomic GastronomyEat Less, Live More – and Pray for BeansSusana Cámara Leret & Mike Thompson with Jan van der GreefAqua Vita2012Charlotte Jarvis with Christine Mummery, Christian Freund & Harold MikkersErgo SumHaseeb Ahmed with Jos KleinjansFish Bone ChapelLaura Cinti & Howard Boland with Bela Mulder & Tom ShimizuLiving Mirror2014Studio PSK with Jan KomdeurThe Economics of Evolution: The Perfect PigeonŠpela Petrič with Klaas TimmermansNaval GazingJulia Kaisinger & Katharina Unger with Prof. Dr. Han Wösten & Kasia LukasiewieczFungi Mutarium (Growing Food From Toxic Waste)2015Emma Dorothy Conley with Guus RoeselersMSA: Microbiome Security AgencyIsaac Monté with Toby KiersThe Art of DeceptionAgi Haines with Marcel de Jeu & Jos van der GeestDrones with Desires2016Lilian van Daal & Roos Meerman with Renée van AmerongenDynamorphosis, the beauty of inner mechanismsPei-Ying Lin with Miranda de GraafTame is to TameCecilia Jonsson with Rodrigo Leite de OliveiraHaem2017Jiwon Woo with Prof. Dr. Han WöstenMother’s Hand Taste (Son-mat)Xandra van der Eijk with Han LindeboomSeasynthesisGuo Cheng with Heather LeslieA Felicitous Neo-Past2018Baum & Leahy with Stefan Schouten, Julie Lattaud, Laura Schreuder and Gabriella WeissMicrobiocene: Ancient ooze to future mythsAni Liu with Mario Maas, Matthias Cabri and Onno BaurNo regrets for what you haven't been, Be the ghost you want to see in the machineYiyun Chen with Patrick Schrauwen & Vera Schrauwen-HinderlingHorizontal Living2019Jonathan Ho & Joris KoeneSex ShellsEmma van der Leest, Aneta Schaap-Oziemlak, Paul Verweij & Sybren De HoogFungkee | Fungal SupercoatingsMichael Sedbon & Raoul FreseCMD: Experiments in Bio-Algorithmic-Politics2020Nadine Botha with Henry de VriesThe Orders of the UndeadSissel Marie Tonn with Heather Leslie & Juan Garcia VallejoBecoming a Sentinel SpeciesDasha Tsapenko with Prof. Dr. Han WöstenFur_tilize2022Nonhuman Nonsense with Marte StoorvogelMud & Flood: The Return of NehalenniaMarlot Meyer with Marcel de Jeu & Jos van der GeesHacking HeuristicsKuang-Yi Ku with Henry de VriesFilthy Anatomy2023Anna Vershinina with Wieger WamelinkExoGarden 3D-Printed Modular Eco-Habitats for Earth and Spacepamela varela & ella hebendanz with Joris Koenere-c(O)unting: bodies, stories, laboratoriesHung Lu Chan & Floris de LangeClose Encounters with Inner Aliens2024Carla Alcalà Badias & Laura VillanuevaMicrobial ProphetessesEmilia Tapprest & Samar KhanEcotonal Beings
External links
Bio Art & Design Award - official website
References