L-TRAIN – Creative Coding: Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Obermeyer

Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg creates 3D-printed faces from stranger’s DNA found on the street.  The faces are mounted on a wall above a pedestal with a box containing the disposed item with DNA (cigarette butts, chewing gum, hair ties, etc.).  Dewey-Hagborg’s process is an art in itself.  She walks around the city (currently New York) finding discarded items with DNA, then synthesizes them in here lab to see which traits are most likely from the sample.  She then creates the face digitally and 3D prints them with intricate detail.

I was interested in this artist because of her use of two very different kinds of code- DNA and “traditional” code.  I also really enjoy art that involves a component of anonymity.  It’s almost like she reversed street art.