Discussion on Drosophila &
The Construction of Knowledge

Winter 2024 resident Tatiana Istomina, organized a conversation between a small group of artists and scientists focusing on the intersections of science and arts, and the role of living organisms, such as drosophila, in the construction of biological and artistic knowledge.

The event focused on Tatiana’s own drosophila project, and the work of two invited speakers: Rudy Behnia Assistant Professor of Neuroscience; Principal Investigator at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, and artist, co-founder and director of BioBAT Art Space Elena Soterakis. Speaker presentations focused on the role that flies play in their work and the demands and rewards of day-to-day interactions with this insect in the lab environment. Presentations were followed by an open group discussion.

Tatiana Istomina’s work is informed by double relocation: from Russia to the US, and from research in physics to contemporary art. The central questions of her practice are the conditions of knowledge and the variable concepts of truth. How do we know what we know? How do we know what we know is true? Is there one truth? Who owns it?