The Center for PostNatural History’s Permitted Habitats, Transgenic Organisms, and Genetic Copy Prevention
The PostNatural Organism of the Month at the Center for PostNatural History is American Chestnut Tree, and it is indicative of the organization’s modus operandi. The Chestnut underwent genetic modification at the SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry program to resist the blight plaguing its species. Since the Chestnut is an iconic American tree, the pressure was on for scientists to cater to public perceptions, which resulted in the use of less-controversial genes for this early GMO. Culture, nature and biotechnology played equal roles in the development of the American Chestnut, and this interplay is the Center’s focus.
PostNatural refers to living organisms that have been altered through processes such as selective breeding or genetic engineering.
Most recently, ExitArt hosted two of the Center’s traveling exhibitions – Transgenic Organisms of New York State and Strategies in Genetic Copy Prevention – during the Corpus Extremus (LIFE+) exhibition, curated by Boryana Rossa.
Strategies in Genetic Copy Prevention (pictured above) offers an historical perspective on human inhibition of reproductive systems. Modern techniques of prohibiting new life are highlighted, whereas in Transgenic Organisms of New York State (below), the focus is on altering life. Each of the organisms in the exhibit have been altered or engineered for a human purpose, a hybridization of culture and biology.
Online, the Center offers a timeline of GMOs permitted for field tests in the United States between 1987 and 2008. Based on data collected by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and organized by Virginia Tech’s Information Systems for Biotechnology, the timeline makes the permitting and experimenting processes transparent.
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